


JPLL

by ArchSinccubus



Category: RWBY
Genre: Action/Adventure, Epic, Friendship, Mystery
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-19
Updated: 2017-04-10
Packaged: 2018-09-25 15:17:15
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 31
Words: 123,380
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9826124
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArchSinccubus/pseuds/ArchSinccubus
Summary: A story of people, faunus and human, banding together as their world is torn apart by the powers that be. Through hardships, plight, and many trials, will team JPLL persevere through the struggles of the world of Remnant, or will the elements claim them first?





	1. Gold Trailer

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys... I'm back...
> 
> So... Here's a small trailer, for my upcoming fic. I hope you all get interested, since the ride is only getting crazier from here on...

_Beware the joining of the flesh, and of Nature's Wrath._

_For those who take the touch of dust will soon resign their path._

The western jungle remnants of Menagerie. Above the town of Kuo Kuana, a safe distance away from the general populace of the island, a small part of uncut trees remain, an effort to let the wildlife of the island live in peace. There are plenty of legends and tales about that place, and why none should enter that small portion of the tree line. About the terrible grimm that inhabit it, about the vicious wildlife and fauna, and about the creature. The giant that lives deep within the forests, and would kill any would dare approach it. Many stay away from that place and leave it alone, out of fear or any other reason. However... None know the truth hidden deep within.

* * *

The day started easy for the giant of the forest. She woke up, her 7 feet frame viewing everything around her, as she turned to her mother, sleeping by her side. The woman tended to wake up later and later lately, though she didn't mind it, and shaking her a bit, she finally opened her eyes, gold staring into gold. She stood up, shaking her body a bit from the rest of the night before, her gigantic mane of hair, easily reaching her feet below her, swishing to and fro, golden locks with kitty ears on top.

"I'm up, I'm up... Good morning dear." She gave her daughter a hug, holding her tight, the giant returning it with the same amount of affection, if not more. A minute or so after, her mother finally broke the hug, starting their morning routine. It usually consisted of cleaning her daughter's hair, pulling stray shards of dust that formed there through the night, as well as examining her form after a night's rest, to see how much of her skin turned to crystallized dust in her sleep. She sighed in relief when she didn't see any significant changes since the days before, jotting it down in a small notebook she kept close by at all times. The girl never did understand why her mother did that, as she was like this since the day she was born, and it never really bothered her, but regardless, her mother seemed adamant on checking her each day, not that she minded. After all, this was just who she was, and she wouldn't have it any other way.

After that, she dressed up, wearing her large pants her mother got her, with plenty of room to spare, as well as wrapping her robe around her chest, constricting it, and making sure it wouldn't move. She didn't like the tension much, but it was a must, or so her Mama told her, paying special attention to covering the glistening bits and pieces of crystallized dust that replaced her skin.

 "So... Ready to continue out trip the beach?" Her mother said, leaning on her gently, using her to keep her strength up.

"Yeah! Let's go Mama!" She cried, the naive child she was. Letting her mother wrap her arm around her shoulders, she got up completely, walking towards the end of the tree line. She spent her entire life there, in those woods, living with her mama, growing up and learning about the world around her, and the precious life she had. The two continued their small journey, the girl knowing the forest like the back of her hand, only making it easier when a strange gurgling noise came from behind one of the trees. Like a trained hunter, she quieted down, her face growing more serious, as her mother tried to free herself, and take a battle stance, standing strong, despite her wavering aura.

"Alright dear... I'll take the ones to the left, you take the right. Okay?" She asked, her right arm starting to glow and emanate that familiar hue of gold she remembered so fondly.

"Okay!" She shouted in a mix of excitement and instinct, dashing towards the tree line, knocking back the Beowulf waiting behind it, thinking it could surprise the two. From there, it staggered back, trying to gain ground, though its opponent was not gonna give him any time, claws of crystal forming around her fingers, as she slashed and hacked, tearing the rather weak grimm to shreds with ease. However, even if the ambush was suppressed, she knew never to let her guard down. Those Grimm... They always came in packs.

Two more burst through the trees beside her. Seeing them, and readying herself, she reached out with her palms, grabbing their heads, smashing them against one another, shattering their masks with one hit. One of them jumped from above, claws at the ready, catching her off guard and knocking her off her feet. She spun in the air, grabbing on the trees, and climbing it, dashed back at the grim, grabbing it as she flew, crashing into one of the trees, but bringing it down with her.

She looked around. Her mother was still fighting, but she seemed alright. She gave a quick sigh of relief, turning her head away again, while several more surrounded them. Thinking quickly, she lunged one of them, driving claws through its skull, using it as leverage, to launch herself into the air. She brought herself down on another, crushing it under her massive weight, catching scent of another approaching her rapidly. Spinning around, she gave it a good hack, sending it flying and hitting one of the trunks back behind her, while letting her instincts guide her movements, lowering her body to standing on all fours, and moving about the battlefield, decimating them one by one. Several of the young beowulves tried to jump her at the same time, landing on her back and trying to claw through her body, her massive hair keeping her alive, and giving her just enough time to shake them off.

The horde was nearing its end, she had a sense for those things. Less and less grimm were appearing, and the battle was drawing to a close, though still with quite a number for her to take out. The rest of the pack came out, circling her, flesh-eating monsters all around her. The giant didn't have much aura left, just enough to finish the fight. She needed to do something quick, or both she and her mother would die.

And she'd never let that happen.

With all the strength she could muster, she called upon the dust, flowing through her body, as her very skeleton started to glow eerie brown, channeling the power of the earth to her side. She raised her hands, shouting, and slamming the ground, she let out the energy she built, causing a small tremor to occur. The Grimm were caught dead in the center, jagged rocks erupting from the very earth, tearing their flesh to shreds, leaving red mist in her wake. She finally calmed down, the thrill of the hunt leaving her mind, rushing to her mother to make sure she's fine, seeing the woman still standing, dead Grimm decomposing all around her as well. She dashed in, giving her a hug, just like she always did, and her mother returned it, feeling a hint of weakness.

"Mama? Are you okay?" She asked, a hint of worry forming on her face, one that her mother dismissed quite quickly.

"D-Don't worry about it sweetie. I'm all right, see?" She gave her right arm a flex, as much as the crystal it was made of allowed her to, and the giant cheered in relief. "Now come along, alright? We're almost there."

"Okay!" She yelled, happily letting her mama lean on her, taking her further, before the scenery of Menagerie's beach sprawled before them. The sunset skies painted the ocean a pretty shade of orange, and alongside the empty, barren shore, laid a single raft, built by her mama and her over the past few weeks. It was finally finished, and she couldn't wait to see what would happen now.

"Now... Help me to that tree over there, okay?" Her mother pointed to a palm tree, sitting alongside the sand. She guided her there, helping her sit down, her back leaned comfortably as she gazed into the ocean.

"Like this Mama?" She gazed at her innocently, noticing tears forming around her mother's eyes, crystallizing as quick as they flowed down her cheeks.

"Yeah.... Now, remember how to use the raft? Just like I taught you."

"Yup!"

"Good... Then listen, please." She beckoned her daughter to approach, as she leaned down to her resting mother. "I want you to take that raft... And go, okay? Go as far as you can go. Go and meet new friends, and make a family of your own. Find a place that will truly make you happy... And please, promise me you'll stay safe."

She stared at her mama for a couple of seconds, processing everything she was just asked to do. Of course, she could never refuse her mother, and so, with a big, happy smile, she sat by her, giving her one last hug. "Alright! I'll come back later Mama!"

"Okay..." She managed to utter, her voice growing a bit weak, masking it as hard as she could. She watched her daughter, her pride and joy, take the raft they worked on so hard on, getting on it, and letting the currents of the ocean, coupled with the dust inhabiting her body, pull her into the waters, further and further. She saw her, as she shrank in the distance, before the speck she used to be before vanished entirely, uttering one last word before falling asleep.

"I love you... Jin."


	2. Peach Trailer

_A lonely soul, comprised of many, standing proud and tall_

_Forever doomed to walk along, unless she chooses to fall._

"Hey, wake up! You got a visitor!"

She heard the call, getting up slowly. A visitor? At this hour? Or at all when she thought about it. Who the hell would want to visit HER, anyway? She shrugged the thoughts about, trying to get up from her bed to her feet. Having her hands restrained in dust free metal didn't do her any favors, her palms being two slabs of iron hanging from her wrists. If it weren't for her OWN aura she probably wouldn't be able to do much, but that was none of her concerns for now. The prisoner uniform she was given certainly wasn't to her tastes, the most generic black and white stripes one could find. Seriously, who the fuck thought it was a good idea anyway to put that shit on people?

She finally got up, getting out of her cell. The guards already knew how to handle her and her semblance, keeping at least a few feet away at all times. After her last breakout attempt, no one, even the other inmates, even DARED coming close. All she needed was just one person to be dumb enough to touch her... And from there, breaking free and getting out shouldn't be much of an issue. As she processed her escape plan again, she couldn't help by lament on the suit she has in storage, taken from her when she got in. A mighty fine suit, black, slick, custom tailored for her size and everything. Even the hat she always had on was out of the question, and while it was sad to lose them, it's a small price to pay to get out of this shithole.

She was led to a small, empty room, with nothing but a table, two chairs, and a light from above. Wondering how more cliché this could possibly get, she was sat down, while a chain was attached to her leg from afar, making sure she couldn't hurt the person on the other end. And after a few moments, a man came into the room, one who's face she couldn't believe she was seeing. A green suit, white hair, and small black glasses, the man came and sat down before her, holding a file and being accompanied by another huntress.

"Well shit. Professor Ozpin himself came to grace Lil' ol' me, and I didn't even have the time to brush my teeth." She uttered, voice filled with discontent and condescension.

"It is a pleasure to meet you too, Ms. Valiére." He sat down, calm as ever, staying silent for a while. After a while, and staying so rudely quiet in front of her, her already thin patience ran dry, snarling at him with pissed tones.

"Alright, let's cut the bullshit. Why the fuck are you here?"

"I suggest you speak to the headmaster with respect, young lady." The other woman turned to her, with a vindictive expression.

"Oh, so you're one of _those_." The prisoner cackled to herself. "Hey, next time you try and pull that ruler out of your ass, let me see. I wanna see how far it goes."

The comment, of course, only managed to make the woman angrier, though her companion seemed to keep his cool, retaining his atmosphere despite her apparently not giving a shit. Seeing this, she shifted strategy, going from cocky and joking to rather quiet and thoughtful, as she learned to do so well living in the shits of Vale.

"As for why we're here... I didn't assume they would tell you the details, but we have heard about your... Exploits, as of late." He continued, despite his assistant glaring knives at her. A barking dog never bites.

"That they did not, 'sir'" she replied with yet more distilled anger and passive aggressions. He chuckled, taking out one of the files in his hands, and putting it on the table, opening it before her, making her raise an eyebrow. "They... Called the headmaster of fucking Beacon so he can show me my criminal file?" She paused for a moment, before cackling again. "Well, good job mate, no one could have done it better." She said, recalling her arrest one more time...

* * *

She walked the streets of Vale, suit a bit tattered, rain all over her, drunk off her ass and holding an empty bottle in hand. Where she GOT said bottle, she couldn't even remember, but regardless, it was just a really bad evening for her, and all she wanted was to get to the small hideout she called a home, and cry herself to sleep like she usually did when she was drunk.

"Aren't you a bit too young to drink?" She heard a voice come from nearby, as a policeman approached her, looking rather curious at the 17-year-old girl with the peach colored hair in a suit, looking red and smelling of alcohol.

"We *hic* ll.. Why don't YOU get the fuck off me and piss off too while you're at it?" She snarled again, barely noticing what she was saying, before he took a quick look at his scroll, realizing she was on the wanted list for arson, assault, robbery, pickpocketing and so on.

"Well... I'm gonna have to ask you to come with me down to the station, so we-" He tried to come closer, not realizing what he's putting himself into. Before he could catch her, she sent her hand, grabbing his face, holding a malicious look on hers. As she did, her semblance kicked into action, powered by her endless greed, as her aura latched onto the officer's, and just like a picture out of a horror movie, drained him of every single speck of aura he had, leaving him powerless and even more brittle. From there, a single punch to his weak ass skull left him with a broken nose, as well as a few skull fractures. She sent him flying, hitting a wall of a building nearby, and came to walk away when she realized something on his scroll.

He called for backup.

"Oh for the love of-" She couldn't even finish her sentence, before several of them came from all around her, surrounding the girl, weapons drawn and ready to engage.

"Put your hands in the air and on your knees!" One of them called out with a megaphone. Before he could do anything else he felt a punch sending him flying, just like his peer.

"Well, at least I'll do ONE of those things!" She flared up to life, laughing in a mix of alcohol fueled madness and anger, throwing the cop like yesterday's trash, using his aura to fuel her overflowing strength. Of course, not ones to just stand there while she mauls their forces one by one, the cops opened fire, using lightning dust bullets, hitting her over and over. In her mind, for now at least, she shrugged it off as best she could, running to another one of them, using the bottle in her hand like her weapon cane, whacking him on the head and knocking him out.

"WHO'S NEXT?!" She shouted at them, the shock dust starting to slow her down. She ran towards the group that was now barricaded behind one of the police cars, ripping the door out of its hinges like it was paper, murder in her eyes. "Any last words?" She gave them a sinister glare as if the worst was to come.

"You're under arrest." She heard a voice from behind her, as she was struck with a baton, the dust and the shock finally making her succumb, falling to the floor unconscious.

* * *

"Well, besides doing that, there is another reason I've been called here... Parole."

She paused again, giving him a stare, eye to eye. "Oh yeah? And why the fuck should I even trust you anyway?"

He sighed, her smug grin dissipating for a bit, giving her a look that could actually be considered serious. "I think it would be a colossal waste of time if I came here just to mess with a kid in prison for adults, don't you think?"

She had to give it to him. She's seen a lot of shit in her years on the streets. She's seen people die more than once, and while she hasn't killed anyone yet, she knew quite well when to recognize the intent, and when to call out a bluff. And that look... Ozpin wasn't fucking with her. Not a tiny bit. "Alright then... So this parole. Tell me about it."

"You will be sent to Beacon Academy, and be trained to be a huntress, while being evaluated periodically, including a psychological treatment."

She looked at him, this time sighing herself. "So the power of love and shit like that eh?... You really think you can 'reform' me? To make me 'better'?" Her tone returned to her usual condescending self, but under it another feeling laid hidden. A cry for help. A need for someone.

"Only if you allow it." He concluded, waiting for her answer.

"Well, anything would be better than this shitfest..." She laughed a bit, weakly and wearily, head falling back, before letting it fall back to looking at the old man. "Name's Perci. Where do I sign in?"


	3. White Trailer

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright! Next trailer is up, and with it the third member of team JPL_. My past readers would already know who the last one is, but regardless, I hope you all enjoy.
> 
> Cause after all the trailers are up... I might just publish daily.

_The gentle light of lunar might holds the truth untold_

_And only those who look within could gaze and see beyond._

The nights in Vacuo were, at the very least, rather quiet. Fewer people walked the streets, and for the most part, a certain faunus could walk around freely, not having to worry anyone drunk cretin would jump her out of nowhere, wanting to prove his manliness or whatnot by doing unspeakable things to what seemed like a helpless girl. She stood at about 6'0", a bit tall for a female, not that height bothered her at all, and her black hair was neatly combed, sliding down her head all the way to her lower back. On top of this, she had a pair of Oryx horns, each about 10 inches, reaching straight up from the top of her head. However, despite her average build, and rather lean muscles, at least for one from Vacuo, there was one trait about her that set her apart from most of her peers. Her skin was completely untanned, a mark of her staying most of her days indoors, being almost utterly, and a bit unnervingly, white. However, for her, it couldn't have been helped. There was research to be done, and most importantly…

There was a moon to be observed.

The moon. The floating, broken sphere of light in the night sky. It fascinated her, quite largely, so much so that when she was small, she'd bombard her parents with questions about this moon, like where it came from, and why is it fractured. And, since her parents could never give her the answers she sought, she had to start learning how to learn, so she could learn the subject she most desired. Now a bookworm in a kingdom where muscles do most of the talking, she somehow managed to avoid it for the most part, though her skill with a weapon is proof her family's tradition of beating the snot out of one another didn't get lost on her.

She finally reached her favorite parchment in Vacuo, where the buildings stopped, the sky was clear, and the moon was in full view. Over the past couple of months, she dedicated her time outside of the house to sketching it's many forms, from the body itself, to the shards surrounding its side, measuring how much light it radiated, and so on. Spending a few hours in its light, observing and peering as much as she could, she kept a small notebook on her, with a pen always at the ready, jotting down everything she thought of when regarding this majestic protector of the night: Theories, findings, everything was neatly organized and filed. Pieces of paper popping out of the book even when she closed it, and more than once falling off, leaving stray pages for her to scour for later when she realized they were gone.

She came home as the sun started to rise, having no further need to spend time outside. However, she waited for her home was her five brothers, each glaring at her with a shit eating grin, and weapons in hands.

"Well, seems like the whitewashing came back home!" Unlike herself, all of them had very burly, toned bodies, as well as very dark skin, tanned almost everywhere.

"Indeed. Now, if you will excuse me, I have research to compile." She greeted them, uncaring for their antics, for the most part, trying to make her way inside the house. However, when she came to pass through the door, one of them pushed her back, waving her finger vertically in swinging motions.

"Nah ah ah sis, you ain't going inside there this easily…" He smirked, thinking himself the epoch of wit, while snot seemed to spill from one of his nostrils. She jumped back, reaching for her behind, and pulling out her own weapon, a sharp, fine-tuned katana, like the ones she so admired from Mistral, readying it.

"Then you leave me no choice but to dispatch all of you simultaneously." Her tone didn't change, even in the face of five people turning on her with giant axes and maces, each looking like as tough and armored as a tank. However, unlike them, she possessed the one gift that ensured her victory.

The gift of knowledge.

One of them already rushed at her, screaming like a Beowulf and aiming for her head with an upwards strike. Moving swiftly, she moved to his side, and with a quick sleight of hand and prior experience, sliced some of the hinges of his armor clean off. The chest piece fell off from him to the ground seconds after, as he tripped over the heavy slab of iron, falling to the floor with a large thud. It was times like these she appreciated taking her time in crafting her weapon, and not just bolting some untouched, unrecognizable shape of steel to a stick and calling it a day.

"Oi! You'll pay for that!" Another one of them came, with what could only be described as a large axe, swinging it without abandon, almost wrecking some of the house structure while he was at it. Stepped back again, she jumped into the hair, spinning her weapon in hand, while pressing a trigger on the handle and making the blade fold back, the transformation being as quick and efficient as she could calculate it. In a moment's notice, she had a bow in hand, easily her own height, pulling an ice arrow from the quiver she held by her side. While mid-air, she aimed it and let it fly, hitting the board side of the axe and exploding into an ice flowing, making the weapon too heavy as her brother struggled to even lift it. As she dashed through the air, she landed on the wall of the building opposite to their own, having to jump away again as one of them lobbed a rock in her direction, smashing through the poor neighbor's wall. She sighed internally. Repairs would be quite costly this time, though if she was lucky she could perhaps use the remains for faster rebuilding. Shaking the thoughts away, she focused on the fight at hand, shooting several arrows at him, before landing right in front of the faunus with a transformed katana, slicing his armor clean off as well.

The rest of them were getting quite angry with her fighting style. What they expected to be an easy victory soon proved to be a fruitless endeavor, and it showed by how all of them decided, in a last ditch effort, to gang up on her at the same time, five men charging one teen with screams and bellows. They were too close, and she didn't have enough time to shift her weapon again or dodge. There was only one solution to this problem.

Her semblance.

She tapped into the hidden force inside of her, which, of course, none of her brothers didn't bother experimenting with, only relying on their brute strength. Wisps of light starting to form around her body and left hand, and her weapon was covered with it as well, as her aura formed into searing light, ready to burn through her opponents with ease. Of course, with her level of expertise, she knew she couldn't hold this much aura like this for long, and so, building it up as long as she could muster, she waited for the right time to strike.

"You're done with, you shitty little brat!" One of them called, the rest joining in a misshapen chorus of insults, none of which penetrated her calm mind. At the last second, when they were just close enough, she unleashed her power, streams of light tearing through their aura with ease, her blade moving through the plates on the remaining brothers like butter, cutting them clean off even. While one might find this incredible she could achieve this, she knew it wasn't anything to brag about, as the plates weren't even tempered that much, if at all.

Appearing at the door again, all five of them collapsed behind her, no aura remaining. She gave them one last glance, looking almost disappointed they couldn't prove her a challenge anymore, stepping inside to two seemingly peeved parents, as her father, the only man in the family she still couldn't beat, stepped outside to see the huge hole her brothers did to the opposite building.

"Really boys? Again?" He shook his head, and the brother he called out to stood up, still exhausted.

"What? She started it." He pouted and pointed to his little sister, trying to play innocent and shift the blame, though at this stage neither of their parents bought their act, and while her mother guided her back inside, her father lectured them about the fine art of using cement and excellent craftsmanship.

"Is everything alright dear?" Her mother asked her, giving her a cup of tea to help mend her body.

"I'm quite alright mother, though this brings me back to an issue that we discussed in the past." Her mind was always racing, always keeping tabs about past conversations. "I think it's time you let me apply to a huntsman academy."

"Are you sure honey? It won't be easy you know. Maybe your brothers seem like a breeze, but what you'll find out of Vacuo won't be as friendly as you might imagine."

"Which is why I'm not looking for friends mother." She said decisively. Her mother sighed.

"Fine. I'll talk to your father. But before I do Hue, I need to know: Where do you want to go?"

Hue gave her a small, faint smile. "I want to go to Beacon."


	4. Purple Trailer

_Bound by God, bound by Law, and filled with zealotry._

_But just how long could angels fly when stripped of dignity?_

The clock rang at exactly 5:55 PM, though, in the quiet village of Marianna in Mistral, a certain nun was already up and running, preparing herself for a new day. She had already braided her brunette hair into one fine, large string of locks, white tips at the very bottom, and was busy getting dressed up, putting her robe on, a large piece of purple cloth covering her form modestly, and hiding it from the world. She looked at herself in the mirror as she dressed, silver eyes glaring at her from the other end, sighing slightly as she took her glasses, a large, round pair, putting on. She was never proud of this impairment on her eyes, though she knew this was but a trial of the Lord for her to overcome. As she finished dressing up, she looked out the window, the quiet countryside scenery always pleasing to the eye.

"Alright. Today is the day. You can do this." She whispered to herself, taking the cross pendant on her neck, bringing it close to her mouth, and giving a short prayer to her Lord, the God of Light, to guide her through this critical day in her life. The final trial the small church she belonged to was to put in front of her if she wanted to be promoted, like her mother before her, to a protector of the village. After finally finishing her morning prayer, she heard a knock on the door, and turned to it as one of the church's attendants came in, greeting her with a smile.

"Good morning sister! Are you ready for your trial today?" The caretaker asked her, and she smiled back, bowing a bit.

"Indeed. With the Lord's guidance, I am sure to pass." Her faith burned brightly through her eyes, and the attendant beamed in response.

"That is heartening to hear, dear. Now, hurry along, the primach wished for your appearance this morning, and its best not to let him wait long."

"Of course. I shall be leaving post haste. Blessings upon ye." She bowed, taking her weapon with her, a large broadsword, easily her own size, standing at five feet and four inches, and collapsing it to a more compact form of a rather blocking looking object with only the handle sticking out, mounting it on her back, and walking out of her small room, through the church's halls. Fond memories of her life flashed through her eyes here, of the training she had with her mother, of the teachings the lord imparted upon her since she was a child, and the many nuns and priests who served her company in this small village of theirs. As she walked to halls, she reached the primach's hall, and stepping inside, she marveled at the grandeur that laid before her, golden spires erecting from the floor, and expensive tiles of karmic origin beneath her feet. She approached the man, an elder easily four times her age at the very least, kneeling before him patiently. "I hath arrived, father. What hast our lord above wishes of thine humble servant?"

She waited a bit, the old man opening his eyes, looking at her with grace. Through his age, she could still see the endless wisdom he could spare, as she let him take a deep breath, pleased to see her. "Child… The Lord hast showeth me thine trial. Art thou prepared to undergo it?"

"Yes, father." She replied definitively, and in a single breath. She couldn't let doubt cloud her mind, not now. Not at the most important step of her growth.

"Good, good… Then heed mine words, child." The old primach straightened in his seat, seemingly adding a few inches to his height. "Head to the old fields of the south… There, upon yonder, thine trial awaits thee. Slay the spawn of darkness, and thou shall be the ascendant thou wish to become."

"At once, father, Blessings of the Lord upon thee." She concluded. Getting up, and turning to leave, walking backward with her face turned towards him. It would have been coarse of her to turn her back on the spiritual leader of the church, after all. Stepping out of his chambers, she made her way out of the church, the Lord's sun hitting her face, warmth, and love filling her all over. Wherever she went, the townsfolk regarded her warmly.

"Sister!" She heard a young voice beacon her, as she turned her head to a small group of children, acolytes like she was so long ago, running over to her, each young gift of the Lord onto this world giving her a giddy, happy smile.

"What is it children?" She smiled, bending down to their level.

"We heard you were going to your trial today, so we made you this!" One of them told her, handing the nun a small crown of flowers, and placing it on her head.

"How… Lovely." She thanked them, holding back her joy, a complaisant, calm smile on her face. As much as she wanted to show them joy, nothing good would come out of letting her emotions out. She had to constrain them, to prove the Lord she was worthy of her title and position. A good guardian doesn't show emotion, she taught herself this well. She rose up, giving the children a nearly blank, though graceful look, walking away towards her objective. Her training was long, grueling, and more than once did the Lord put her life on the line, but she pushed through all of it, finally reaching the final trial, where she would receive her first mission as a rite of passage.

After about an hour's walk, she finally arrived there: The southern fields. A few days ago a large grimm started haunting the area, forcing the farmers out, and finally, it was her job to dispatch of the foul beast, and restore light to the area. As she walked through the ashen scenery, grayed out dust and untended crops all around her, she heard a loud shriek, raising her head to see the monster: A huge, menacing nevermore, flying in circles around the field, as if claiming it as its own. A familiar bust of holy fury started to bubble from deep within, and she took her weapon, transforming it into its sword form, a large barrel of dust in the center of the blade.

"Foul beast! Cower before the might of the Lord and perish!" She yelled, turning the barrel of lightning dust, raising her blade and, calling upon the power of the dust, as a jolt of lightning came from above, smiting the Grimm. It bellowed in anger, not down just yet, falling down towards her, swinging one of its wings, razor sharp feathers darting towards her as quick as thunder. She managed to react in time, raising her blade to shield herself, as a few of the feathers slipped through, tearing pieces of her robe, one even managing to scratch her leg and draw blood. She winced in pain, looking down at herself, her zealous tendencies only growing stronger, as it finally got close enough.

She swung the blade, jumping towards the Nevermore, hitting it square in the face, sending it off a little staggered. Trying to push through with the window she made, she spun the barrel to fire dust, calling upon it again, as a rain of fireballs descended from the skies, hitting its back. She jumped backward herself, hoping that would have been enough, but alas, the grimm proved more stubborn then she anticipated. Her aura was running out quick thanks to each dust skill she manifested, and if she weren't careful she'd run out before she could fell the foul creature.

It turned in the air, falling back on her. This was it, all or nothing. Taking the pendant in her hands one more time, she gave a short prayer, readying a battle cry, and jumping in front of it with all the bravery she had, she turned the barrel one last time to a unique blend of dust that her mother gave her.

Silver dust.

The blade erupted white light, as she poured all of her aura into the weapon. The Nevermore came face to face, and in an instant, she swung her weapon again, launching a wave of aura at the beast, slicing its wings clean off. It fell to the ground, screaming, and she hurried to finish the job, letting her blade fall on its head like a guillotine, beheading the grimm and ending its reign for good. "May the world be at peace." She uttered to herself, as she did after a successful grimm slaying mission, heading home, using her blade to hold her injured leg.

The town welcomed her back with a warm greeting. She ignored them, heading into the church, only reporting her dead mattered to her now. A small trail of blood oozed from her leg, but she didn't mind, walking into his chambers, kneeling before him just like before.

"I hath slayeth the foul beast, father."

"Indeed… But thou hast used thine mother's gift, have you not, Leila?"

She shuddered at the mention of her name by the primach himself. "Y… Yes, father."

He paused, thinking for a few minutes. "Then mayhap… Thou would need some more training, a reassurance of thine preparations. Thou shalt be sent to Beacon Academy for hHuntress training."

Her heart sank, though her body didn't move an inch. All Leila could do was nod. "It shall be done, father."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And... There we go. All four of the trailers are out, and now, the real show begins. The curtains rise, the band practices, and soon enough...
> 
> The show will begin.


	5. A Rough Landing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey Y'all, Arch here with the first chapter of JPLL! The trailers are finished, and time to actually get this show on the road! I hope you all enjoy this chapter, as we meet our crew on their very first day in Beacon.

The opening day for new first-year students in Beacon finally arrived, and the airships carrying the new initiates slowly descended, one by one, landing at the school courtyard. Out of the opening doors, freshmen flooded out in droves, each of them unique in their own special little way. Weapons of all sizes were on wide display, as well as rather overly complicated outfits, further showcasing the aspect of freedom of expression in the current generation, and a wide array of hopes and dreams accompanied each of them. Spirits were sky high, and chatter was commonplace, many people joking with one another, friends from similar combat schools meeting up and reuniting with one another in this fresh new environment. The spires of the Academy welcomed all, some already walking inside to explore the inner halls of this magnificent structure, while others opted to get some fresh air, the view from the cliffs at the end of the school's domain being quite a sight to behold.

A sight that a certain girl wearing a suit, a single briefcase, a rather gruff expression, and a cane couldn't care less for.

Perci took one glance at the people around her to know she was going to hate this. She knew that she was going to be here for her parole or whatever, but she never expected all of them to be prissy, annoying teens. Hell, if anyone was qualified to be a proper huntress out of all of those morons it was HER. At least SHE had some actual combat experience against something that was a blood hungry grimm, as those were quite easy to beat up, when you know where to hit them right. Either way, entitlement aside or what have you, she couldn't care less for this school. The only reason she was even there was that it was infinitely better than to rot in a jail cell for some totally innocent drunk fueled tantrum. She didn't even break anyone, so honestly, she deserved to be free, or, at the very least, she convinced herself as such.

Hardened leather boots clicked across the metal of the bullhead carrying her, alongside the tapping of her cane, as Perci stepped out to the open courtyard. The sun was blocked quite efficiently under her large, round and mostly dark gray hat, keeping her short and peach colored hair mostly hidden, aside for several locks that managed to pop from the sides. On top of it, to her body, she had her usual suit, something she actually took great pride in, consisting of matching colors alongside white stripes of light gray. She took great care not to step in anything, as the shoes were probably more expensive than any of those poser's weapons, making sure to be rather secluded on her path towards the insides of the school. The view didn't matter to her, and at that point, all she wanted was to get some sleep after being given about a day tops to prepare for the next four years of her life. She grumbled internally, hating every moment of it, as the mere thought of someone telling her what to do made her skin crawl. She was the mistress of her own fate, and she would never let ANYONE decide anything for her.

As she walked, looking down at her scroll, reading something online out of boredom, she felt something press against her front, and before Perci knew it, she was pushed back lightly, having bumped into one of the other freshmen. She already pictured some generic asshole trying to act all high and mighty, thinking they're some kind of main character or some shit, when instead she was greeted with a soft hand under a purple robe, and a rather calm gaze of silver eyes behind a pair of large, round glasses.

"Excuse me... But are you alright? I'm terribly sorry for bumping into you." Her voice came out, neutral and balanced. Perci shrugged her off, and after noticing the cross pendant on her chest, she realized what kind of person she was talking to.

She couldn't ask for anything worse.

"Yeah, yeah... Whatever." She staggered up, brushing the dirt off her suit. Wanting to get out with this conversation as quickly as possible, she came to leave, but not before pulling a cigar out of her suit, putting it in her mouth and realizing she forgot the lighter. She figured the nun wouldn't probably smoke, but there was no harm in asking for a light regardless. Hell, she saw some religious folk who smoked in her past. "Hey uh... Got a light?" She turned to the nun again, who noticed the cigar in her mouth, her face twisting in slight disgust.

"No, I do not. And I would suggest you do not poison your body with such filth in the first place. The Lord didn't give us a body of flesh for us to taint it." She replied swiftly and vindictively. While she didn't expect to have the best response ever from someone like her, the minute lecture, coupled with the bad day overall, still managed to piss Perci off.

"Oh yeah? And who the fuck do you think you are, eh? Some nun bitch thinking she can tell ME what to do?" Perci started to lash out, already at the end of her patience, only matched by the nun's sheer zealous righteousness.

"I am Leila Heavenward, if you must know. And I simply speak the truth." She replied with a cold, vindictive tone.

"Well, I got your truth right here!" Perci readied a fist, sending it towards the unsuspecting nun's face, and while regularly she couldn't see it coming, for Leila's fortune, she didn't need to. Quickly enough, Perci's hand was met with another's, an older woman with blonde hair and crop in her free palm.

"Ms. Valiére..." The woman started, and Perci shook her off, taking her fist back to her side and letting her arm drop.

"What, you gonna send me back to jail?" She taunted the headmistress with a mocking face, showing her less and less respect every time they met.

"That is what will happen if you do not behave yourself. Remember, you are here on _parole_ , and one of the conditions for your stay here is to avoid physical violence against any of the students, at least outside of combat class. Now, shall I have to repeat myself or do you understand?"

Perci wanted to lash out at her as well. She wanted to grab that fucking bitch, drain her aura, and then smack her across the face with the force of a sledgehammer. But, at the end of the day, and as much as she hated it... Glynda was right. She tried to calm herself, reminding herself that it was worth the wait, rather than spend her days in a single, solitary cell.

"Whatever." She shrugged, walking away slowly. She glanced back at the nun for a quick second. Hopefully, this would be the last time those two meet. The LAST thing she needed on a team, if she understood how those work right, was a bitch like her being all goody two shoes day in and day out.

From the sideline, a quiet figure watched the almost fight breaking out. She was sitting silently, pen in hand, scribbling down mathematical equations and solving them just as quickly. Oryx horns adorned the top of her head as she took a glance upwards from her ever so important research, noting how chaotic and violent some of the students could get. In a way, she knew her way around such boorish types, her siblings being the perfect example of such an archetype of personality. She expected them to meet sooner or later, on the battlefield or in class, though the thought of actually having to deal with them bothered her to a degree. The last thing she needed was for her research to be impeded by chaos occurring all around her, and obstructing her from her actual goal. It was something that she could not abide by, and thus, opted to stay out of the line of sight, for now, holing herself up in her book and remaining as quiet as her body would let her, even her breaths making not a sound.

"Boy... Did you see those two? Wouldn't want to get myself on THEIR bad side, eh?" She heard a voice close by, and looked up again, as a girl in a trench coat and a fedora approached her, a sly smile accompanied by brown eyes and a groggy, rather unenergized aura coming from her. Her light gray hair pressed against the wall as she took a seat next to the quiet faunus, staring at the other students, and after a short, awkward silence, couldn't help but question this person's motivations.

"What are you after?" The faunus asked her, cutting the chase and getting straight to the point. The other girl raised both her hands in surrender, trying to calm the spirits down.

"Whoa there, I ain't after anythin'. Just trying to start a friendly conversation." She stared at her for a quick second, before sighing, and cocking her head to the side a bit. "Tell you what, how about we try this: Hi, my name's Ash. Ash Noir. How bout you?" She asked, and the faunus decided it wouldn't hinder her down the line to introduce herself to said person.

"Hue Luminous." She said in a short breath, and expecting the conversation to be over, returned her eyes to her book, writing and rereading sections she made there in the past. Ash sat by her, looking a bit bored as she watched the students walk by, noting the many colorful personalities and so on.

"Well, nice to meet ya, Hue." Spoke Ash, her smile faded and tired. Overall she didn't have much to say to her, but regardless kept sitting there, closing her eyes and nodding off for a bit, though still being aware of her surroundings to a degree, closing her eyes and letting a nap take hold of her.

"Why are you still here?" Hue's voice cut through the darkness, and Ash slowly opened her eyes, looking at her again. "In case it was not clear, I have no intention of speak to someone else at the moment." She continued, boldly expressing herself.

"Why, am I botherin' ya?" Ash asked her, sawing in hints of venom into her voice, which Hue noticed but decided not to act upon. She didn't particularly care being there or any other place, but Hue's direct and clear approach to asking for information came off as a bit mocking, to her opinion.

"Not particularly. I did not, however, expect to be in anyone's sight for the first day. I was just wondering as to your true intentions." Hue interjected, explaining her thought process, and Ash took a sigh of relief. Regardless of her tones, Hue couldn't get the best read on her, and thus, decided within herself to keep her guard up, at least to a degree.

"Well, Hue... What can I say, for a freshman in Beacon, you're not really out there making friends are ya? Kind of making _me_ question _your_ intentions, wouldn't you say?" She made her comeback, grinning. While there were many things Ash couldn't do well, reading people wasn't part of them, and having a detective for a father taught her a lot about people and how to read them. Even the quiet, subtle types weren't a match to her perfect detective instincts and analysis skills, both of which she prided herself on.

"My intentions are my own, and you may question them as much as you please. Now, if you will excuse me, I have more pressing matters to attend to." She returned to her book, reading slowly, before footsteps, obviously of something originating in timber. She groaned internally again. One person she could handle and manage quite well, even if their behavior was an enigma to her eyes. Two people surrounding her would only break her concentration.

"E-Excuse me..." A shy voice finally came through, and a small looking redhead stood before them, looking rather timid and nervous around the larger groups of people around the main area of the school. Hue sighed, again. From her looks, she wouldn't be much of a bother to her, and she resumed her reading. Ash gave her a friendly, if not weary smile.

"What's up, small fry? Too scared to swim in the bigger pond?" The smell of the ocean from her clothing and the gills on the sides of her neck made it quite clear as to what she was. The small fish faunus blushed, her cheeks becoming a healthy shade of red, just like her hair, and she nodded.

"I-I... Thought this was a quiet place? S-So... Can I stay around?" She asked, her tone sincere and honest, and Ash nodded in agreement, Hue sighing and nodding once as well. The girl didn't seem to be hostile or malicious, though the moment she heard she was accepted, a large smile drew on her face, and she sat down next to the two of them.

"Thanks! My name's Undine, by the way!" She exclaimed, and happily sat next to the two girls, talking to Ash who was actually willing to spend some effort keeping a conversation up. For the most part, Hue was just surprised to see her go from zero to full social flower so quickly, contemplating her decision to dub the little faunus a non-issue.

"So, what's up with you, seeing a fish out of sea like that?" Ash asked, making another quip, though Undine only managed to cringe slightly from all the sea-based humor.

"Well... I wanted to be strong enough to be able to go anywhere I wanted, so... Yeah. I came to Beacon to study." She replied gingerly, making Ash chuckled silently at her words. A trivial motive, from what Hue could gather. Many were like this Undine character, from a first glance, though at the end of the day her own goals held much higher priority to her attention.

"Freedom, eh?... Can't say I haven't heard that before. Plenty here want freedom, you know." She mentioned, noting her as words down carefully.

"Oh. That's cool I guess. But what matters here is what I want!" Undine called out again, puffing her chest a little, and feeling a bit proud of herself for being so sure of her life goals. All Hue could do is roll her eyes at the genericness of the moment.

"Well Undine, here's to hopin' we'd get to be on the same team, eh?" Ash raised a knuckle, and Undine, staring at her for a brief moment, bumped it back, smiling.

"Yeah! Sounds like lots of fun!" Undine's tone shifted vastly, compared to her former introduction, to a much more energetic one, as she exclaimed to Ash in her not so subtle indoor voice, or lack thereof. At this point, Hue couldn't bear to be forced to this go on and on and finally opened her mouth.

"Regardless, I would appreciate some peace and quiet, if that is not a bother, Undine." Hue's voice came out of nowhere again, making the two girls turn their attention to her. Ash sighed again, and got up, signaling for Undine to come with her.

"Alright, alright... I gotcha. Come on Lil' fishy, I guess we can find some other quiet corner to chat in. Should be about four of those, at least."

"Alright. Sounds good." Undine smiled, getting up and walking away with Ash, the two of them talking to one another and making small talk. Another skill Hue surprisingly had a severe lack in. She honestly didn't find the point in making small talk, it was just a waste of time with no purpose to it whatsoever. Regardless to the two girls keeping her company for a short while, she soon enough returned to her studies. Research about the moon wasn't going to be done by itself, and so, without a glance, she resumed delving back into the wells of knowledge, hoping to extract another concrete piece of information about the celestial object in the skies she adored so.

* * *

A bit of time passed, and Glynda finally made the official announcement, alongside Ozpin, to all the new freshmen in the school. And while Leila and Hue paid attention to their words from their own respective spots, Perci couldn't care less, opting to slouch around on one of the mattresses handed to the students and pick her nose nonchalantly. Unfortunately for her, the nun was still close enough to her to note her behavior, and so, decided to pay the delinquent another visit, looking gruff at the girl as she raised her head at the approach of a visitor to her small domain.

"What? Got another lecture to tell me?" Asked the grinning Perci, a smirk spreading on her face. Leila's eyebrow twitched, though her expression, for the most part, didn't change.

"Did you even listen to Headmaster Ozpin and Glynda? They just gave us some very crucial information about our stay here, you know. Ignoring them would be a grave mistake."

"Oh yeah? Let me guess, he made some bullshit speech about having to carry your own damn weight and la di da di da." Her finger twirled as she spoke, clearly having no heart or care put into her words. Leila sighed, trying to calm herself down, sitting next to the girl.

"That is true... But he is right, after all. The Lord has given you, me, all of us this trial to overcome. I truly hope that you would take that to heart."

"Well, let me tell you a little something, you stuck up cunt:" Perci leaned in a little, or at least, as much as laying on her side would let her. "I've been pullin' my own fucking weight for long enough to know what it's like. So trust me, out of everyone here, a fucking nun is the LAST person who has the right to tell ME that."

"E-Excuse me?!" Leila finally raised her voice, her anger growing out of bounds, and out of her control. "And who are YOU to pertain as to my private life? A sinner like yourself could never understand the agency of my mission of the power in my faith!" She called, her zealous tendencies showing again. Perci merely rolled her eyes.

"And THERE we have it. You think you're SO much better than me, eh? If I weren't on parole, I'd teach ya a lesson, but I suppose you get a free pass... For now." She gruffed, turning to the side. Leila could only stare at her with a slight shock on her face, trying to contain herself from bursting right there and then.

"Ohh!... I'm not better than everyone! I never said that!" She tried to defend herself, playing right into Perci's hands, who grinned with her back turned to the nun. She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down once more. "All I said, is that Ozpin's words hold a lot of weight to them, agree or not."

"Well, I don't. Now, YOU have two choices nun: Leave it at that, or try and make an idiot out of yourself even more." Perci turned to her again, with a large, comically cynical, and condescending smile. "So, what'll be?" She asked, voice drenched in venom. This was Leila's last straw.

"Hmph!" She turned her head, walking away, thinking herself the bigger person. In all her years... She had never met such a heinous sinner such as this Perci girl. The Lord must have put her through many trials that she never succeeded to become such a rotten person. Her steps away were followed with the echoes of a laugh from her aggressor, following her a bit until they were drowned out completely by the voices of other students surrounding her.

As she paced about, currently in deep thought and searching for a quiet place to pray and ease her mind, Leila bumped into someone herself, not noticing as she staggered back a meter or so. She looked up, seeing a girl, with short copper-colored hair, a floor length dress, a tight looking top, and an entirely blank face, not showing a hint of emotion.

"O-Oh... I apologize." She strived to be better than that cretin she had to deal with earlier, bowing to the girl apologetically. The girl turned to her, seemingly blank as ever. Opening her mouth and speaking with a voice not going over a whisper.

"It is fine. With your current trajectory and velocity, it was bound to happen." She spoke in a calm, quick pace, no stutters nor pauses in her speech at all. Leila couldn't help but find her behavior a bit odd, but regardless, she would never impede on the privacy of another.

"I see. I apologize regardless." She came to turn away, before feeling a hand from the short figure tug at her robe, getting her attention again. Leila herself wasn't the tallest out there, but despite that this person seemed to be a few inches shorter.

"Excuse me, but where are you from? Your accent is a bit different than citizens Sanus." She seemed interested, or at least her question implied as much, and Leila figured her slight accent gave the fact she was not from Vale away.

"Well, I hail from a small village called Hopestead, around Anima." She answered the little girl's question.

"I see. Thank you very much." She bowed as well, almost one to one like Leila herself, turning and walking away, leaving a confused nun in her wake. Leila shook her head shortly after.

"Now now, Leila. Digging into other's matters is unbecoming of you." She spoke to herself, a habit she tried to rid herself off, but still managed to rear itself in her actions periodically, shaking her head a bit to clear it and returning to her pacing about, searching for something to distract her from the current flow of events.

* * *

After putting her things in the ballroom, and setting everything for the night, Perci decided to go out for a stroll, and get her mind in order. So far, the only thing she's seen around her was teens being teens, and while she couldn't really call herself any better than those idiots, at least age-wise, she knew deep down that she was, in fact, better. Hell, as far as she knew she could take on their collective asses and beat the ever loving crap out of them with one hand tied behind her back. Taking the fresh air of the outside to her lungs, she mused over the fact that in the deepest reaches of the city she wouldn't find such clean air. At least there was one good thing to being in Beacon, and she'd admit that much.

While Perci was walking about, a lit cigar in her mouth with a pick pocketed match she lifted off some bloke earlier at the day, she suddenly heard a soft, echoing voice, singing purely and with conviction. Drawn to the heavenly voice she heard, she turned around, starting to walk towards it, passing and completely ignoring a very focused Hue, with a small telescope to her side, striding towards it until she found the source of the voice at last in the main courtyard of the school.

The girl that appeared before her was rather short, but not too much. Long, blonde locks of hair fell from her head, curling a bit at the bottom, reaching her back. To her top, she had a tank-top, combined with a simple frilly dress to her bottom, making her appearance rather charming to any onlooker, and thankfully for Perci, she was alone as well, singing with that angelic voice she was sure many were drawn to. She stood behind one of the pillars, closing her eyes and grinning as the girl sang her song, enjoying every minute of it before finally hearing the muse's song come to a close, and while she could gladly pay for more, she decided instead to unveil herself.

"That's a nice voice you got there, Love." Perci said, turning from behind a pillar and facing this mystery girl directly, making her jump a bit in surprise and step back a bit.

"W-Who are you?!" She called, still very much flustered. Even her regular voice was adorable, and Perci started to pace slowly towards her.

"Name's Perci. What's yours, angel?" Perci's tone was cocky and overly confident as ever. She figured girls like that like the "bad boy" attitude, which she had in spades, and so decided to just act naturally and see where this goes.

"M-Melody..." She said, blushing, and stepping back as the rather intimidating looking person walked towards her, still dressed in a day to day uniform.

"Well, Melody." Perci approached her a bit more, the girl stepping back with each step forward. At some point, she stopped, to try and not scare her away. "Did anyone ever tell ya your voice is amazing?"

"I-I'm not interested." Melody managed to utter, seeing right through Perci's attitude. Perci 'tsked' internally, but not being one to give up on her goals, pressed on regardless, dropping the act.

"Oh come on... You know you want this. I may not be a guy, but trust me, those pussies in their ain't got NOTHING on me." She cooed, flexing a muscle to show off, years of physical labor and training toning her body significantly, and making Perci rather muscular and well built. However, unlike the reaction she excepted from the girl, Melody only stepped back further.

"I said I'm not interested! Keep away from me you creep!" She turned around, running back inside. Perci cackled as she ran.

"Then I'll talk to ya later!" She laughed, not bothering to chase her. If there was _something_ good about Perci that she could admit, was that whatever she wanted, she GOT. For her, this was more of a minor setback than a total rejection, as this was not the first innocent, pure girl she managed to woo. Granted, none of them looked as hot as Melody in her eyes, but she disregarded the thought, instead resuming her earlier train of thought. She looked back, seeing Hue on the way, who was staring at her direction quietly.

"What're you lookin' at?" Perci gruffed, and Hue waved her head.

"Nothing whatsoever." She concluded swiftly and packed up her telescope, having no interest in speaking to such a rude, mannerless girl and heading back inside to write down some of her thoughts. All Perci could do after that was look up at the night's sky herself.

"Ah man..." She sighed to herself, speaking in a rather neutral, joking tone. "This is gonna be such a bother, isn't it?..." She laughed to herself, puffing on her cigar as she stared upwards, thinking about the chaos that was initiation that would fall upon her tomorrow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And... That's a wrap! I hope you all enjoyed it, and don't forget to comment, kudos and bookmark as we continue with the adventures of JPLL.


	6. The Enigma in the Forest

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everybody! I'm back, with the next chapter of JPLL! I hope y'all enjoy, I have great things planned out for this story, and I can't wait to share them with you!
> 
> Regardless, don't forget to kudos, bookmark, comment, and most importantly, enjoy.

The next day in Beacon came slowly. The sun's light peered through the windows, and from her slumber Leila woke up, opening her eyes to another blessed day by the Lord. She rose up to sitting, opening her sleeping bag, yawning and stretching her arms wide. Leila got out of the bag, kneeling towards the sun, crossing her palms and closing her eyes, starting the day like she started any other day, with a prayer to the Lord and his many graces.

"I pray to thee, O Lord above, for granting thine humble servant the gift of breath this day." She continued her prayer through and through, going through the day's plasmas, and upon the conclusion, woke up, wearing a simple, yet moderate nightgown, covering most of her body quite well. She got up to her feet, taking the robes she folded neatly last night, as well as her toothbrush and toiletries before going to bed, and headed out to the showers, to have her morning bath, as well as dress up and prepare her weapon for the upcoming initiation. As she passed the many students, she made sure to greet each of them with a proper good morning, as well as a polite bow, as it was expected of her proper lady of House Heavenward to act. To add to this, she could not know who of those fine souls would be the ones she would end up on a team with, and thus, she made up her mind to be kind and gentle to all who crossed her path.

Some of the students she greeted her back, some even bowing like her. A radiant smile spread on her face, and her mood was uplifted compared to yesterday, in which she had to deal with that wicked and relentless sinner. Her mind twisted a bit at the thought of that girl. Such rude manners... Surely, the Lord would protect her from being on the same team with such a surly person. Regardless, she steeled herself for the very worst, taking another small prayer to calm her nerves, as she usually did, stepping into the showers at last.

About fifteen minutes later, and one very refreshing and much-needed shower, Leila felt herself primed and ready or whatever the Lord would throw at her as a trial. She quickly put on her robe, slipping it over her head and sliding her arms through the large, open-ended sleeves, spinning in place once to see everything was in order. Then, as she prepared to leave, she heard some of the students talking in the background.

"Did you hear? Pyrrha Nikos is here! THE Pyrrha Nikos!"

Of course, she knew about her, being from Mistral herself. Who wouldn't know about such a living legend, taking the regional tournament four times in a row? If there was anyone she would have loved being teamed up with, it would definitely be Pyrrha, this much she was certain with, or at the very least someone so good hearted and kind as her. Sighing as she let her hair flow, Leila found the nearest seat, sitting down and taking her hair over to her front, beginning the meticulous work of braiding herself. Overall, she could have handled it just fine, though she still would have liked someone to help her, as the task proved itself far more difficult than she bargained for.

"Excuse me, but... Do you need some help?" She heard a young, lively voice approach her, and as she turned her head, she saw a slim, slender blond make her approach. Her smile radiated warmth and acceptance, as the Lord sent her the assistance she needed so, and Leila quickly smiled back.

"It would be much appreciated, thank you kindly." She presented her brown hair with white tips to the girl, the locks flowing down all the way to her lower back. She felt the cool touch of smooth skin tend to her as the blonde sat behind her, reaching out and separating her hair to three locks, intertwining them through one another.

"So..." The girl started some small talk with her. "Are you nervous?" Her tone was filled with doubt, which Leila immediately saw upon herself to ease.

"yes... But worry not, friend. I am sure the Lord will guide us through this trial." She sounded sure of herself and confident, both admitting her own fault and trying to spare some words of reassurance to this friendly stranger. The blonde simply replied with a slightly nervous smile.

"God, huh?... I've never really prayed to God before. You think he'd still watch over me?"

Leila paused for a brief moment, considering her question. The answer was obvious to her, of course, but like many things in her life, this was a trial to her faith and her creed nonetheless. "Of course, friend. The Lord watches over us all, as we are all his dear children. You and I, the birds outside, the tree growing in the meadow, all are under his great eye and care." She gave a brief explanation of the Scriptures, the holy texts she followed, hoping this would help ease the girl's nerves, beaming a bit as she heard a sigh of relief.

"I see... It's nice to know..." The blonde paused a bit, her hands unmoving, seemingly thinking about something as she resumed her word shortly after. "By the way, my name is Melody. What's yours?"

"Leila Heavenward, but you can just call me Leila." The reply came, and with it, a genuine, happy smile. Melody gave her one back in kind, finally finishing her work, using a hand mirror to show Leila her handiwork, the latter nodding with approval.

"Thank you once again, Melody. May the Lord bless you for your kindness." She got up, bowing to the sweet girl, who nodded back, albeit awkwardly, before trailing off, to get herself fully prepared for the day to come. Leila went to her locker likewise, where her weapon laid waiting for her in its compact form, a greatsword her own height folded into itself to become no more than a blocky looking cube with a hilt. She took the blade, pressing it against her back, as it snapped to the back of her robe, nice and easy to carry. Then, while making her way outside towards the landing pad where the students were requested to show up, Leila came across another character, one that she wasn't very fond of. She turned her head, deciding to ignore the towel covered Perci as she walked past, though Leila couldn't help but notice that under the suit, the girl's body was covered head to toe with scars. So many, in fact, that she couldn't even spot a single spot of pure, untouched skin on her body beneath the suit.

"What? Somethin' you like?" Perci opened her mouth, stopping in place and turning towards the nun, a shit-eating grin on her face. Leila shook her head, turning to the girl for a brief moment.

"No. Now leave me be." She turned back, walking away, though getting on the nun's nerves was the best way for Perci to start her day so far.

* * *

From there, the rest of the students finally gathered in the courtyard, ready and primed to start the initiation. Each standing on their own pad, Professor Ozpin went across the many initiates, explaining to them how the process works. So far, for Hue, things seemed in line and order. She had already taken the time to listen to rumors around from the other students and had a rather clear picture of how the initiation works. However, one detail that made her scowl was the partner placement. The first person she would lay eyes on would be guaranteed to be on her team for the next four years.

And she would have thought about it some more, if the launch pad didn't spring up, sending her into the air and straight into the deepest confines of the Emerald Forest.

The view of the woods from above was breathtaking, if not brief. Considering her trajectory she had already planned out her descent, drawing out her katana and transforming it in hand, as a long bow was now held between her fingers. She quickly pulled an arrow from her quiver, glimmering purple, and aimed it at the tree she was speeding towards, letting the arrow fly straight. As it hit, the gravity dust inside it activated, forming a weak gravity field, allowing Hue's body to safely decelerate safely into the leaves of the tree, and from there, it was child's play jumping down, landing on the grass below. Above her, she heard a sudden whooshing sound, and looked up for a brief moment, noticing the nun in purple dash past, using her massive blade, now drawn out entirely, to guard her body as she crashed into one of the trees. The nun's landing was accompanied by a bombastic crashing sound from another area to the nun's south, most likely by someone reckless enough to just crash into a tree for a landing strategy. Regardless, she waved her head, disregarding the loud crashing noises, and made her way towards the center of the forest, where the relics they were meant to retrieve lied.

* * *

Perci landed, as one would expect, by simply relying on her massive bulk of stolen aura to shield her body from the impact. Earlier that day she made sure to prepare herself, moving amongst the students, brushing hands with them on 'complete accident', and nabbing bits of their aura with her semblance. While needing skin to skin contact was quite a bother to her, Perci was quite accustomed at this point to the ins and outs of her super unique power, easily gathering roughly an extra three hundred percent of her natural amount, which proved quite handy, all things considered.

"Good grief..." She muttered, getting up from the remains of what used to be a large, healthy tree, now reduced to bark and wood scattered all around her. She got to her feet, cleaning the dirt from her suit, looking around to make sure no one was around her, and started to walk towards the shrine. The last thing she needed was some moron catching her eyes, forcing Perci to work with someone until she could get out of this fucking mess called Beacon. If Ozpin thought he was funny with that partner bullshit, she sure wasn't laughing.

She continued to make her way through the forest, breaking everything in her way with her cane, and overflowing aura, empowering her every strike and swing. Even without a sharp edge to her weapon, foliage proved hopeless against her merciless assault on nature, and Perci actually dared to feel like things started to go her way, making decent progress.

If only out of a bush she was approaching came out Leila, their gaze crossing.

At first, Perci just stood there, blinking to make sure she wasn't hallucinating or anything of the sort. When she tried pinching her cheek, only to find the scenery unchanging, she realized the fate that just befell her, and remained speechless for a few minutes, jaw dropped, as she saw Leila's face twist from shock to anger to seemingly calm. The nun took a deep breath, to ease herself and rationalize this situation, before finally daring to open her mouth.

"...Alright, then. It would seem that the Lord has made his decision. Now... Perci, was it? Shall we?" She came to ask her, only to see Perci already walking away with her back turned towards her. "H-Hey! Get back here!" She ran after the delinquent, catching up to her, and standing in front of Perci again.

"Oi. Nun. Piss it before the grimm get a free meal." Perci threatened her with a grim look, having zero patience for this sort of bullshit. Leila, on the other hand, stood defiant, not showing fear against her attempt to scare her away.

"I will not. The rules state that upon eye contact with the first person you see, you and that person shall be partners. And as much as I do not approve of this... It would seem this is our fate. Now, let us go and find the relic, if that is not too much of a bother." She offered, speaking sternly and dry. From what she knew Perci's type wasn't the one to handle graces and articulated speech well. Getting through to her would take a more direct approach.

"Nope. Fuck this shit, I'm out." Perci concluded and tried to get past the nun, who stood still, blocking her path.

"Look... This is just as unpleasant to me as it is for you." Leila tried one more time. "However, from what I recall, you are on parole, correct? Would it truly be wise to abandon your designated teammate before the initiation had finished and go on your own? I am sure Professor Ozpin has cameras around here, and he is watching. Just consider the full implications of your actions."

Perci bit her lip. As much as she hated to admit it, the nun did have a point, and for now, it WOULD be wiser following the rules, rather than going off on her own. She ceased her attempts to go off on her own, finally walking back closer to Leila.

"Alright, Nun. Lead the way then. Might as well get over with this shit fest as soon as possible..." She grumbled, Leila nodding her head, despite the foul language leaving her mildly uneasy.

"Oh hey, lookie here songbird. Looks like we found ourselves another pair." The two of them heard a rather faint voice rear itself from the tree line around them, as two figures stepped out, one being Melody and one being a taller, complacent looking girl with a trench coat.

"Oh, hey Leila!" Melody cheered, Leila beckoning her presence with a smile.

"Well helloooooooo, nurse!" Before Leila could reply, Perci interjected, walking past her and approaching Melody with a rather pleasant looking smile. All Melody could do was step back, distrust in her eyes at the sight of the delinquent. "Ah come on, Love. Can't ya give a gal a second chance?" She tried acting cocky, though it didn't get her far, Ash stepping in between the two and turning her head to Melody.

"She botherin' ya?" She turned her head back to Perci, eyeing the other girl and

"N-No... I-I'll be fine." Melody gazed to the side, slightly unsure of herself. All Perci could do now was step back herself, giving the blonde some space.

"Alright, I'll back it up... For now~" She chuckled, pointing in a random direction. "Now, how about we all head to that temple and get those relics, eh? Shouldn't be too hard now, right?" Her true intentions to impress were quite obvious, especially to Leila, and took her hand and moved it about thirty degrees to her left.

"It's actually over there. Now come along, we haven't all day." Leila started walking, Ash and Melody following her soon after. Perci was left behind, seething with anger, and as a beowulf ran towards her, attracted to her anger, she grabbed it by the mask, breaking it to pieces in her bare hand, letting the lifeless corpse fall to the ground while she took her legs and started to walk.

* * *

"hello?... Anyone?..." Undine walked alone, in the forest, still searching for a partner. If only she could find someone to be with her, maybe the crippling loneliness wouldn't be so obvious, but for the time being, she couldn't do anything about it, and was forced to keep looking. She figured most of the students probably found a pair by now, and she desperately hoped she wouldn't be alone for much longer. Honestly, being alone, in such an unknown environment scared her to her bone, and every single rustle in the bushes managed to make Undine flinch with fear.

Suddenly, she heard a rustle coming from behind one of the trees. Needing something to distract herself from being on her own, and hoping it was another human or faunus like herself, she made her way around the tree, peeking at the other end. Her eyes widened in shock as she saw three beowulves surrounding one of the other students, who had a large backpack on her rump, with several metallic looking appendages and bronze colored hair. She was currently fending off the grimm, but it was obvious that this number, coupled with the several decaying bodies on the floor, was starting to strain her.

She had to do something!

Undine jumped right into the action, pulling out her trident with a battle cry and skewering one of the grimm straight through the head. Using it's still decaying body as a platform, she jumped into the air, throwing her weapon at another one of them hitting it dead on, landing on its fur and picking up her weapon, Oceanline, and preparing herself to take care of the last grimm. However, to her surprise, it was already laying dead on the floor, with the quiet girl standing closer to it, one of the blades at the end of her appendages covered with black ichor. Glancing at Undine, she nodded as all six of the metallic tentacles slid back into her backpack, which seemed to be pressed quite firmly to her back.

"You're... Welcome!" Undine tried breaking the ice, smiling awkwardly at the bronze-haired girl. "So, uh... Do you have a partner?" She had to ask, to make sure.

"No. I do not." Her reply was short and direct, but regardless, it made Undine's heart skip a beat. She finally found a partner to be with!

"Oh! So I guess it means we're partners now, huh?" She tried talking to her, but the only significant response she got was a single nod.

"Yes. Now, let us head to the temple. One relic has to be retrieved by the two of us." She swiftly finished up the conversation, walking away in what looked to Undine in a random direction.

"W-Wait a minute! Do you even know where to go?" Undine ran after her. "What's your name anyway?"

"My name is Copper Pirouette." The girl FINALLY introduced herself, giving a curt bow, and continuing onward. "As for your earlier question, the temple is located approximately one hundred meters southwest of us." She explained, Undine nodding. Honestly, she had no idea how this Copper knew all of this, but who cared, she had a partner!

* * *

At this point, Hue was getting rather close to the temple, though still without a partner. She had encountered some grimm along the way, though none of them proved much of a challenge to her, leaving a trail of black smoke and ichor in her wake. She just finished cutting down a small nevermore, no bigger than her head, as it fell to the floor motionless, and she sheathed her sword back inside, looking back at it for nothing more than a split second, pushing onward regardless. Another sound pierced her ears, of something walking from behind her, and she put her hand on the hilt of her blade, prepared for anything, though a happy, friendly sounding voice was the last of them.

"Hi!"

She turned around, and for the first time in her life, Hue found herself at a loss for words. The being that stood before her, a giant if nothing else to describe her, was far beyond anything she had seen on other students. Her seven-foot frame, almost unnaturally long hair, not to mention the dust growing out of it immediately caught her attention. Indeed, she did not get the time to go over every freshman, so the chance she did not encounter this girl just yet was an entirely plausible scenario. Nevertheless, having such a fascinating specimen for a partner would not be wasted on any of those other cretins.

"I... Am Hue. Hue Luminos. What is your name?" She asked the giant, who's radiant, cheerful smile did not fail her, grinning all the while. To add to this, she kept looking directly at Hue with bright, golden eyes, and while the glaring unnerved her to a degree, she could not turn down this person, and thus, figured she would do with what the hand she was dealt.

"I'm Jin!" The giant spoke, though briefly. Hue circled her a bit, the eyes following her about as she walked, and her amazement only grew with each passing moment. Not only did this person have dust in their hair, but it also seemed her very skin was entwined with the energy propellant, as if it was a living part of their body. She heard rumors, about such methods of dust utilization, though from her brief look into the matter the only records she could find were warnings and old legends, each of which could be summarized in one simple sentence:

Do not, under any circumstance, infuse dust into your body directly.

For now, at the very least, the question of what this being was had been answered. Now, came the far more intriguing query to Hue: How did she survive? According to any scientific paper she could find, the merging of dust and flesh should have caused her slow, and inevitable death, by means that were conveniently left redacted. But there this Jin person stood, living and breathing, and still staring at her with a warm, lovely smile.

"Very well. Then, it would seem we are to be partners. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance." She raised a hand, and Jin just stared at her, slightly confused.

"Aqua-... Aque... Uh... Aqutace?" Jin asked, and Hue couldn't help but stare at her dumbfounded, as the girl didn't even seem to understand the finer nuances of the language.

"Nice to meet you." She tried again, raising her hand anew, getting a firm, and rather crushing handshake from her new partner.

"Yaaaaay!" Jin cheered, jumping in place, her well-endowed body jumping about with her movements. Hue moved her away, deciding it was beneath her to watch this shameless display.

"Alright, shall we then?" Hue came to walk away, expecting her partner to follow her, though to her surprise Jin just walked away in the opposite direction. This was the breaking point, and Hue had to turn back, and run towards the giant again.

"What are you doing?" She confronted the girl, who was looking at her just like before, smiling innocently.

"Walking, like Mama told me to!" She replied, and immediately came to move towards the tree line, only to be stopped by Hue, who's patience was running quite thin, all things considered.

"Alright, I think there was some sort of misunderstanding here. When we started this initiation, it wasn't up to us to choose who would be our partner. Now, I need you to come with me to the temple, so we could get our relic, and move on back to Beacon, okay?" Internally, Hue was surprised Jin didn't know all of this. Indeed, the girl didn't have the brightest of minds, but there was no way she could not grasp the basic concept behind the initiation process of Beacon.

As Jin heard her request, she turned in her place again, facing Hue. "Okay!" She jumped in place, excited as ever, enjoying her time with her new friend. Hue stared at her, contemplating how easy it was to convince her to come with, and pointed her finger in the right direction.

"Then let us head off, Jin." She began to walk in the shrine's direction, Jin following suit soon after.

* * *

_Meanwhile, at the edge of the cliff..._

* * *

Glynda was already walking in circles, muttering to herself about the current situation. In all their years running the academy... This was a first time, to be sure.

"Who IS she, Ozpin?! We have an unrecognized person, strolling about in the Emerald Forest, and worst of all, one of OUR students just paired up with her!" She still couldn't wrap her head around the fact that some girl managed to stroll into the forest mid initiation. They always made sure to announce it on time and clear out the area from any travelers or Huntsman before sending their initiates out.

"Now now, Glynda." Ozpin remained calm as ever, staring through his scroll as Hue led the giant dust infused girl with her. "So far she seems harmless and friendly enough." His voice had an aura of interest in the girl, to which Glynda could only respond with even more stress.

"Friendly?! Ozpin, she is dust infused! Where do you even think she managed to become something like that?! How long do you think she even has?!" She voiced her concerns again. Seeing a pariah like this walk about without a care in the world only made her question the girl's mental state even further.

"Hmm..." Ozpin closed his eyes, contemplating quietly, only furthering Glynda's distress, who came back to look at the screen with him, her eyebrow raising with a burning question.

"Hold on... Something about her doesn't feel right..." She took a second look, running some numbers in her head, recalling research she was privy to, thanks to Ozpin. "With this much dust covering her skin... Shouldn't she be dead by now?"

"That she would, Glynda." Ozpin nodded in agreement.

"Then how?..."

"That, Glynda, is something I cannot answer to you as well. I have my theories, though they are farfetched until we meet this Jin girl in person." Ozpin stopped momentarily, deeply pondering the girl's existence himself. He had seen many things in his time. He had committed many mistakes, and repented for just as much. The notion of seeing something new was not that obvious to him

Yet there she was, staring him in the face.

"Then you're not seriously planning on letting her..."

"Stay?" Ozpin's grin came back to his face.

"I think she should have a chance to prove herself just like the rest." he resumed his careful watch, wondering just what she had in store...


	7. Jaspilite

Journeying the Emerald Forest with this Jin girl proved far more taxing than what Hue bargained for. The girl seemed to have the attention span of an actual feline, stopping every few seconds to look at some passing animal, or smell a flower nearby. How did Jin even FIND those things, Hue had not a clue, but regardless, she found herself playing the role of a glorified babysitter more than anything else, constantly being on the watch of the giant and her antics.

"Oooooh..." She heard Jin murmur, and turned in place, only to see her with her knees bent, watching a snail slowly pave its way across the grass, dirt, and leaves, leaving a slightly slimy trail in its wake. Hue shook her head, already being at wit's end, and closed in on her, shaking her by the shoulder.

"Jin... Can we _please_ cease with this baseless dribble and move on? We do not have all day you know..." Her voice trailed off, pondering what this girl even found in such trivial observations. Granted, her patience to remain in one place for what seemed like hours was something Hue couldn't help but admire to a degree, if that capability wasn't wasted on such a simpleton.

"But it's pretty! Look! Loooook!" Jin wobbled with her hand's shaking, staying her ground and keeping herself close to her new slimy friend, pointing to it with her finger to attempt and get Hue's attention.

"You could look at snails all you want after we get to Beacon, okay? I will come with you if you oh so desire." Right after uttering those words, Hue realized the grave error she had just made in her calculating, depending Jin was as childish as she anticipated.

"Promise?" Jin's eyes sparkled, looking back at Hue, her ever-present smile growing even wider than usual. Realizing this was the only feasible path forward, Hue nodded.

"Yes, Jin. I promise. Now may we move on?" She repeated her question, and this time, Jin left the snail behind, getting back up and glomping Hue, giving her a big, warm, and albeit bone crushing bear hug.

"Okay!" She cheered, Hue being thankful for a change for her upbringing in Vacuo. Several minutes after, and somehow managing to shake Jin away from her body, the two moved on, and at last, the sight of a small shrine, with several chess pieces laying on pedestals revealed itself to the two of them, several of the pieces already missing. Hue gave a faint smile.

"This seems to be our destination. Come along Jin, let us pick one of the relics and return to Beacon." Before she could even finish her sentence, Jin was already next to the relics, taking a white pawn and swirling in place with it, knocking over the rest of the relics, and making Hue audibly groan in one of the only instances of her life.

"Jin..." She walked over, picking them up after sitting the giant down, placing them back on their proper pedestals and making sure their position was perfectly centered as she could make it. After making sure the last of the pieces was perfectly aligned, she turned to Jin, asking for the pawn she took back, thinking this was not the way to properly chose it, only to find the girl grew attached to the small plastic figure in the few minutes she had it. Sighing, Hue resigned, content to let the giant have her way if it meant moving on with the trial.

"WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT?!"

She turned her head, her train of thought cut, only to see the suit-clad girl from the first night in Beacon scream with her finger pointed at Jin. Next to her, the nun she argued with appeared, scolding her for pointing at people. As the two of them started to bicker about the proper use of fingers and their placement in space, Hue couldn't help but chuckle at the irony of the two of them being on the same team, as partners no less.

"Well, if this is how you are going to act, then _I_ will pick our relic." Leila gruffed, heading towards the small shrine.

"Fine! See if I fucking care!" Perci shouted at her, and turned the other way around. Leila, on the other hand, approached Jin first, giving her a polite bow.

"I apologize for my teammate's actions. I am sure she was just..." She then took a glance of her own, realizing the girl had dust growing out of her skin. "In the name of all that is holy..." Her thoughts left her, as she stared at the girl, jaw agape, before shaking her head and snapping back to reality. "Oh, please, forgive my staring." She apologized again, and Jin looked up at her, fascinated with her silver eyes for some reason.

"Okay!" She called out, playing with her small pawn in her rather huge hands. She had so much fun, and meeting new people always managed to lift up her mood, so seeing this nice person come and say hello was very sweet of her!

From there, Leila turned back, paying attention to the shrine once more. She went up to it, examining the pieces available, and picked another one of the white peons, heading back to Perci afterward.

"Really, a fucking peon? At least you could have picked a queen or some shit..." Perci sighed.

"We are all peons for the Lord, at the end of the day. Regardless, I believe you said it didn't matter to you." She reminded the delinquent, who's face turned a particular hue of red in response.

"And I DON'T, thank you very much!" Perci gruffed loudly again. "Whatever... let's just get the fuck out of here..." She turned back, Ash and Melody appearing behind them as she started to walk.

"You two really oughta pay more attention to your surroundings..." Ash muttered, Perci rolling her eyes. "Or at the very least look back every few seconds."

"Yeah, yeah..." walked back, leaning on a tree. "Fine, just go and pick your fuckin' piece, K? I don't wanna get stuck here all day." Clearly, her patience for this sort of horseshiterry was at its end, if not way over it. Ash, however, didn't seem to mind her foot tapping on the floor, nor her crossed arms, instead taking her leisure in pacing towards the shrine, noticing Jin on the way, raising an eyebrow and turning to Hue.

"...What's her deal?"

Alas, her query into the origins of the enigmatic person playing about with a chess piece in hand were only met with a wave of Hue's head, signifying her cluelessness.

"Well, I think she looks nice!" Melody muttered, going to welcome the gentle giant. "Hi! My name's Melody, but you can call me Mel." At this point Perci turned her head to the side, making an audible 'tsk' noise. "What's your name?"

"I'm Jin!" Her booming voice echoed throughout the area, reverberating all around them. Melody stepped back a bit, not being one to handle first impressions like some would, thinking what to say next as Ash got back to her, holding a black pawn in her hands.

"Well, despite... that." She gestured at her direction, pointing at the various patches of skin that were remarkably replaced with pure dust, gleaming a rather dull shade of crimson. "She looks nice enough."

"Thanks!" Jin beckoned the complement with another smile, and within moments, many of the present in the party realized that, while being odd and mysterious in her origins, to say the least, she was harmless enough to be around.

"Oh, hey guys!" Finally, another voice, as well as the sound of a pair of footsteps managed to make their way to the shrine, Undine recognizing some of the friends she made the day before. Next to her, Copper walked idly, keeping her blank expression, though at the sound of Jin her walking speed changed, heading directly towards the dust girl and standing right in front of her.

"How did you become like this?" She asked, Jin showing no response. She waited a bit, repeating the question, and after the first time of Jin being too preoccupied with her little toy to give a proper response, Leila nudged her shoulder.

"Jin, she asked you how did you become like this." She mentioned, and to the sound of her voice, Jin perked up, staring at Leila with a smile.

"I was always like this! That's what Mama told me." She answered the question and swiftly resumed her game, making Leila, as well as everyone else present, to raise an eyebrow once more.

"Well, what do you know, a real freak of nature. Go figure, eh?" Said Perci, who finally had enough of standing on the sideline. The others, excluding Jin and Copper, gave her a stern glare, though Copper's seemingly transfixed face fit the situation quite naturally.

"Perci, it's not nice to say something about someone like that when they're here." Leila tried to lecture her, though before she could finish her sentence, Perci's hand already pressed itself firmly on her lips, shutting her up.

"Oh, cut the lectures, will ya? I get it. I'm not a nice person. Welcome to fucking Remnant, Nun." Perci let her go, turning her back on the rest of the group and coming to walk away, as the screech of a Nevermore caught everyone's attention, Jin included.

"We should head out immediately. That screech can only mean one thing." Hue concluded, and the rest nodded in agreement, getting up on their feet.

Before the group could head out and finish their task, rustling voices came from all around them, signifying they were not alone anymore. Jin was the first to stand, dropping the relic on the ground, and seemingly prepared herself for _something_ , back arching slightly, as well as hands raised. The various snarls and grunts that became more and more audible to the others eventually, each pulling out her own weapon in preparation for the incoming attack.

Perci took a quick gaze to see what weapons the others had to work with. Working with others wasn't the best scenario for her, but by the sound of it, they were in for quite the struggle, and every hand on deck would be needed if she learned anything in her years out of the streets. The nun's blade was already a given, and while Ash pulled out her baton, Quick Justice, in one hand and her pistol, Blind Justice, in another, Melody drew her short sword Swan Song, inserting a new cartridge of dust into the hilt. As for the rest, besides Jin's seemingly feral approach to handling tough situations, Hue's katana caught her attention the most. Copper's Proto Drive appendages DID give her a few ideas down the line for some more... creative ways of using them, and Undine's trident, Oceanline, wasn't as impressive as the small girl seemed to think it was.

"You guys ready? This ain't gonna be pretty." Perci grinned, the grip on her cane only growing tighter. The others nodded, though Melody, on the other hand, seemingly had other plans, sticking closer to Ash, knees shaking in fear. Perci gave her a single wink, though instead of the reaction she expected the only response from the Muse was eyes rolling and a sigh.

"Indeed. May the Lord guide us." Leila nodded back, taking the cross pendant on her chest and giving a short prayer, and while Perci would have loved to make a silly face to ruin her moment, the beowulves running towards them from behind the tree line meant it would have to wait.

Jin was the first to react to the imminent threat. With instinct only honed by years of living in the wilds, she dashed towards the pack on all fours, driving crystallized nails into one of them right through the head. She didn't stop there, quickly jumping and dodging another one's claw, with retaliation quickly coming to the monster in the form of a powerful gunshot from ash's pistol, leaving a clean, round hole in its abdomen, Jin finishing the job with a ground pound.

"Burn, you foul fiends!" Leila called out, turning the barrel on Caliborn to the blazing color of fire dust, raising her sword sky high. Soon enough, a small rain of fire descended from the heavens, the dust in the sword reacting to her aura, felling many of the weaker beowulves with one well aimed fireball and leaving the rest of them weak enough for Copper, Jin, Perci and Undine to get out of their way swiftly, making a path for the group.

"We need to go, immidiatly." Hue called to the rest of them. "Unless we find the alpha and eliminate it this could continue ad infinitum."

The rest nodded, and thanks to the path Leila cleared, the eight of them started to head out, trying to work together and fending off the grimm as they began making their way through the large pack, heading to Beacon as quickly as they could. In situations like these, saving power for later was key, and so, they tried to pave way as efficiently as they could, though after as the sounds of gunfire and grimm dying came from other areas of the forest. The rest of the grimm geared up, moving out in droves to annihilate everything with an aura they could find.

Another beowulf jumped at the group from above one of the trees, using a fallen pack member as a distraction to get the drop on one ravenous Perci, taking her sweet time to bash the fuck out of each grimm unfortunate enough to get in her way.

"Look out!" Undine yelled at her, throwing her Trident to intercept the grimm, successfully impaling it against another tree. Perci didn't bother looking back at her, moving from under the long pole arm and advancing further.

"How rude..." Undine couldn't help but mutter to herself as she ran to her weapon, pulling it out, and quickly stabbing another grimm in her path. From there, the struggle continued, heading in a single direction to try and leave the tree line, before the group found themselves in an open field, with several ruined buildings scattered throughout, obviously ruins from some ancient structure that stood there. However, their attention was quickly taken away but a much more menacing howl, as a tremendous beowulf stood on one of the roofs, bone plating adorning its body in much grander fashion than the average grimm. To its howl, several smaller beowulves reared their heads from the ruined buildings, snarling at the group to their alpha's command and dashing towards the initiates.

"Well WHAT DO YOU KNOW!" Perci called out, adrenaline pumping through her as she stopped one of them dead in their track, lifting the grimm with one empowered arm and throwing it at the alpha, which tore its own minion to shreds in self-defense. "NOW it's gettin' interesting!" Her investment in the fight peaked at the sight of something she couldn't kill in a single blow, and being the reckless person she was, dashed towards the giant beast. She only stopped to hear Melody 'eep!' in fear and hide behind one of the walls, flinging projectiles of concentrated dust from her blade periodically at the swarm facing them, trying to do something without letting her own cowardice get the better of her.

"Hmph!" Leila grunted herself, shifting the barrel to icy blue. At the swing of her sword, a volley of ice flowers shot out, and wherever they hit, an ice flower erupted, freezing the grimm close to it solid or impaling them with icy spikes. Hue took the initiative, moving quickly across each one, slicing them cleanly around the neckline with Lunnos Lamina, making sure not to leave any of them standing, while Copper tended to the ones that managed to break free, her six Proto Drives slicing and dicing each grimm to ribbons. On the other end, those that managed to dodge Leila's volley only met their end at the tip of Undine's Oceanside, as well as the blasts from Melody and Swan Song.

With Hue, Copper, Melody, and Leila keeping the path clear, Jin, Perci, Undine, and Ash blew their way towards the alpha. It shrieked, calling more of its kin to eat apart at the girls, Ash shutting it up with a bullet to the chin, her usually calm demeanor shifting to a more serious, though still laid back one. The bullet hit the alpha, though didn't scratch it entirely, grazing the hardened bone and getting stuck in there, causing it to gaze angrily at Ash, who replied with a smirk. It jumped down, bellowing before the group, Jin jumping right in, delivering a fist straight to its face, the alpha dodging it and replying in kind with a large claw, sending Jin flying away, only to land on her feet, a feral expression on her face.

"Not bad kid!" Ash called out to her, reloading her pistol Blind Justice, though as she did the alpha targeted her, coming straight for her face as payback for the previously well-aimed bullet, now stuck in its chin. Undine lunged at it from the side, coming to stab the foul beast in the side with her trident, though being unable to pierce the bone plating forced her to shift directions quickly, jumping away as Perci dashed in.

"Let me show you how it's done, bitches!" She called, channeling some of her massive reserves of aura into her palm, empowering her blow as she readied her cane and swung it like a hammer at the alpha, the strike powerful enough to actually crack its side. The alpha shrieked in pain, turning quickly to send a claw at Perci, who raised her hand to block it, a maniacal grin forming on her face. "Oh, you think you're hot shit, huh?" She grimaced, as the claws of the alpha started to tear into her skin, blood slowly seeping out. At this point, if it weren't for the extra aura she had on her, her arm would have been chopped right off.

A slow cackle found its way out of her dry, cold lips. The grimm stared at her, roaring with strength and might, only getting a hardened fist into its stomach as a response.

"Useless..." She sputtered, sending another punch out. "Useless useless useless useless useless!" She kept repeating herself, her smirk growing to a mad grin, sending fist after fist at the alpha, mercilessly burning through her aura to damage the grimm as much as she could. As her aura ran out, not paying attention mid-rampage, the alpha lowered its claw at her again, aiming to rend her asunder. At the last moment, however, Jin managed to get to it, catching the grimm by the claw, giving it a severe looking expression, before catching the aura-less Perci and throwing her out of harm's path, Ash catching her before she hit the ground.

"The fuck?!" Perci, caught off guard, couldn't help but yell as she felt the giant's hand grab her by the collar of her suit, throwing her away, straight into Ash's, who let her down.

"Just lay low, okay?" Ash told her, and being Perci, she didn't have any of her shit, grabbing Ash's arm and trying to draw extra aura from her directly. "Hey what're you-?!" Ash gasped, feeling her aura being sapped away from her very body, quickly breaking Perci's grab. "What's your problem!?"

"My problem is that I don't have enough aura, moron." Perci got up, fixing her suit, returning her attention to the alpha, which Jin seemed to handle quite well. She pushed it on, and before long, the alpha was on the ground, as Jin pounced it, driving hardened claws into its now exposed flesh, making the monster howl in pain, and opening its jaw, coming to bite her head off.

"Oh no you don't!" Undine caught it in time, using the pole section of her weapon to block it off from getting to Jin, playing it between its jaws and pulling it away.

The fight didn't last much longer than that. With the alpha being fully restrained and pinned to the floor, nothing stopped Jin until she managed to claw her way through its body, leaving it dead and decaying slowly into the air. The pack that came with it, without the alpha to direct it, didn't stand much of a chance, and Leila, Copper, Hue and Melody managed to round out the remaining numbers without any major issue, dispatching them quickly and leaving the ruins empty and barren once more. As the dust settled, and the group could finally relax, Ash came to Perci, giving her a small slap to the face.

"Oi, what was THAT for?" Perci looked at the trench coat wearing girl with a rather angered expression.

"That's for trying to sap my damn aura while we're fightin' a huge grimm..." Gruffed Ash, and Perci, not one to apologize, quickly turned her head to the other way, the pain really not being a big of a deal.

"Whatever..." She rolled her eyes, though sighing with relief as the battle finally drew to a close. "Guess we can finally head back now?"

"Indeed. Let us make haste." Leila agreed with her, as the group, bonded over the recent strife, walked to Beacon together...

* * *

The first to greet them were Ozpin and Glynda, waiting for the group at the destination, much like they did for the rest of the students who passed initiation successfully.

"Oi. We're back." Perci grumbled as the headmaster finally came into view. "I'm goin' for a fuckin' shower." She muttered, going past Ozpin before he could even say anything, heading out to do her own thing.

"Well... Ms. Valiére's behavior regardless, it is nice to see you all managed to get back in one piece." He congratulated them, Leila bowing in response and Ash tipping her hat, though his attention soon shifted back to Jin, who had her small chess piece with her again. He approached her, smiling, and Jin turned her head towards the headmaster, tilting her head to the side in curiosity to something none of them could see.

"Hello. My name is Professor Ozpin. What is yours?" He asked her, and Jin smiled back.

"Hi! I'm Jin!" Her loud as ever voice echoed all around them. Ozpin, unphased by her tone, simply returned a smile to her own, still holding the small chess piece.

"The way you handled the grimm and protected your friend... It was quite impressive, for someone of your age." He complimented her, though the words of praise seemed to fall on deaf ears, and Jin didn't blush, nor reply directly to them. "Either way..." He continued, getting Jin's attention again. "How would you like to come to my school? You could learn a lot here about protecting others from the grimm."

"Okay!"

Ozpin came to reply, thinking someone like her would hesitate at first, preparing several ways to try and convince her to become a student of Beacon, only to be surprised at her eagerness to comply with what he asked. In truth, something about the way she talked signified to him she didn't fully understand what it meant to be a student in Beacon, but regardless, keeping her safe in his school was better than let her roam in Vale. With how she looked, he doubted she would manage to fit in, let alone find someone who would pity her enough to give her a home, as dust infusion was taboo at the end of the day.

"Excellent." He smiled, Jin cheering and jumping in place all giddy and happy, clapping her hands like a child that just got a present for their birthday. "Then I welcome you to Beacon, Ms..." He waited for to complete him by telling him her last name, but when the response never came, he just grinned again. "Ms. Jin."

* * *

Finally, the acceptance ceremony began. By now, all of the students that managed to get through initiation, with their partners and all, stood in pairs, waiting to be called out to the stage, where Ozpin would assign them another pair, forming the typical four-person team paradigm. Undine stood there, excited, trying to talk to Copper, though the lack of responses from her teammate only made her pout, getting a pat on the back from Ash and a grin from Melody as a compromise. Leila waited patiently with a satisfied grin on her face, believing she earned her place, and while Hue was busy keeping Jin from wandering off again, Perci leaned on the wall, just hoping the shit show would end already.

"...Next. Ash Noir, Melody D. Canary, Undine Maelstrom, and Copper Pirouette." Ozpin addressed the four of them, and the group headed to the stage, standing before him, as the images on the screen above them showed their pictures, alongside the letters forming their future team name. "The four of you retrieved the black pawn pieces. From now on, you will be known as Team ArCaNuM. Lead by... Ash Noir."

Several of the people in the crowd cheered and clapped their hands, Ash looking at Ozpin with a slightly cocky grin, a bit surprised someone as laid back as she got the position of team leader. If she had to choose she'd put the silent but calculative Copper in this stead, but regardless, this wasn't her choice to make. The four of them, now a team through and through, stepped down from the stage, clearing the way for the next batch.

"Now... Jin, Perci Valiére, Hue Luminous, and Leila Heavenward." He called them out, and while Jin, Hue, and Leila already got to the stage, Perci had to take a moment, making her way through the other students. Internally, however, she dreaded the second she'd have to stand there, not only because of the people Ozpin called out, but because of who he called first.

"You four have retrieved the white pawn pieces. From now on, you shall be known as team JasPiLite. Led by... Jin." Unlike the former teams, Jin's new team was met with deep silence, as many of the students gazed at her with what could only be described as shock. Some even twisted their face in disgust. Regardless, a few of them still clapped their hands, not wanting them to feel unwelcomed, and the rest joined soon after, giving them an applaud of some sorts, at least.

And so, Perci's worst fears came true. The LAST thing she needed was this fucking hippie running the team, not to mention she had to share a room with her AND the nun for the next four years, Hue at least being tolerable. She was THIS close to just stop giving a fuck and ditching the bullshit, but when all was said and done, she preferred it over solitary.

"Ooh! Oooh!" Jin, seemingly having something on her mind, shook a bit, hoping to catch Ozpin's attention, right before he came to dismiss them.

"Yes, Ms. Jin?" He addressed the dust infused giant, who brought out the chess piece she still carried in her robe. "Can I keep this?" She asked him, excited and giddy, her question just met with a roaring wave of laughter, which she joined soon after.

"Well... Alright, then." Ozpin nodded, and Jin, happy she got to keep the toy, tried to give him a hug. Ozpin silently moved out of the way, wondering just how much she was aware of her situation, though her happy and beaming face made it quite difficult to remain worried for long, at least for now.

* * *

The ceremony ended, and the students finally dispersed, new teams heading out to sleep in the grand hall one last night before being given their own room. As Ozpin watched the future generating of Huntsman and huntresses go on their own, Glynda, approached him, concern in her eyes.

"You... Made her a team leader." She spoke, though the question burning on her tongue was obvious. "Why?" Some part of her still found Ozpin's thought process odd. Any one of them would have been perfect for the role, with Perci being an exception.

All Ozpin could do was grin as he watched team Jaspilite head their way, Jin somehow managing to keep the others close to her with smiles. "Because, Glynda... It is going to be the one lesson she would truly need."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, the teams are finally set up, and Jin was finally welcomed into the fold. God, writing her is just freaking adorable, I swear to god...
> 
> Anywhoo, I hope you all enjoyed! Don't forget to bookmark, kudos and comment, and I'll see y'all next chapter, which will hopefully be tomorrow, if everything goes according to schedule for me!


	8. Settling and preparing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, next chapter is online, and I hope you all enjoy it! So far, going back to writing every day has proven far less difficult than I remember it, so it's full speed ahead!

"You have got to be FUCKING kiddin' me."

Perci, alongside her new teammates of team JPLL, started in disbelief at the small room designated for all four of them to sleep in together. Decorations were modest, one long red windowsill covered the only entrance for light into the room, and four beds laid on the ground, two at each end, giving each of them a proper place to sleep. However, there was not much in the space department, meaning Perci would either have to let someone go over her bed every time they needed to move, or she'd have to do that herself, BOTH of which seemed like a horrible idea to her. "This is all we get? A small fucking room with no good view and barely any space to walk in? Good god, the slammer had better room structure then this…"

"Regardless, this is the room Beacon could afford to designate for us." Leila sighed at yet another use of the Lord's name in vain, inspecting the room herself, with no real issue popping to her right away, as long as she didn't have to share the same end of the room with her so called 'teammate.' "I think it's quite the blessing to be given such an accommodation, to be honest."

"It is satisfactory." Hue didn't waste much time, giving the room a quick glance before deeming it appropriate, walking next to one of the beds on the far end and playing her briefcase in front of it. Leila and Perci looked at one another, and realizing they could not settle this with words, resigned to simply pick the opposite side, Leila acting quickly enough to claim the space next to Hue.

"...Shit." A low-key grumble escaped Perci's lips, turning her head around to see who she was going to be sleeping with, Jin giving her a wide-eyed look, her expression remaining rather complacent and friendly all the same. "I call for bed rearrangement. Who's up for bunk beds?!" She raised her voice, trying to get Jin on board, and watching the giant faunus cheer and clap in joy, smirked internally. "Welp team leader seems to be on board guess that's what we're gonna do-" She tried concluding the conversation as quickly as she could before Leila clearing her throat stopped her.

"This is not how Beacon issued us this room. Altering it in any way would pose several health hazards to whatever team that inhabits this room next, and I will not abide by this, at all."

"I agree." Hue chimed in, much for Perci's dismay. There goes calling her tolerable… "Structurally speaking these floors were not designed to handle the pressure of two beds on top of one another, and while in theory they could, one could break through the wood without excessive force. On top of it…" Hue looked towards Jin "Someone of Jin's height, and weight could potentially cause irreversible damage to the building, causing us to be responsible for the repairs."

"Bullshit I'm cleaning up her messes!" Perci groaned loudly. "You break it you pay for it."

"And that is _not_ teams work, Perci," Leila returned her angry gaze with a vindictive glare. "We are a _team_. And teams function and work _together._ " She stood her ground, and with Jin clearly not having any real opinions in this, Perci was forced to concede her proposal, grunting to herself and throwing her briefcase on the far off bed. Out of having Jin walk over her bed all the time or the other way around she'd take the latter any day.

"Bah, wanna take that team shit by me one more time and see how that works out for ya? Here's lesson number one about the world, Nun: it's everyone for THEMSELVES" Her voice was resounding and resolute, the kind only a person absolutely sure of themselves would use.

"That how would you define people like Ozpin? Did he not arrange for your parole? Pray tell, why would he do that?" Leila did her best to keep herself from snapping at Perci, despite the constant disrespect to everything she believed in. Perci sneered at her in response.

"Fuck if I know, who even KNOWS what's going on through his head. He probably had some super secret agenda bullshit motives like a fucking breeding program for huntresses or some other dumb-shit reason to have me here. Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if he actually have some secret society too."

"Regardless, it is not our place to question his motivations, or his activities during his free time," Leila interjected. "If I were in your position I would be thankful to the Lord for the opportunity to repent for your previous sins. Not many get a second chance like this." After finishing, she couldn't help but twitch an eyebrow as Perci started to snicker in front of her. "And what's so funny, huh?"

"Just imaginin' you doing HALF the shit I've done." Perci's cackles raised to a low key laughter. "Man, you won't handle a DAY…" Her laughing only managed to rile Leila up, but before she could object to those ridiculous claims properly, Jin suddenly stepped in, getting closer to the two.

"Huuugs!" She cheered, spreading her arms wide, grabbing both Perci and Leila in tow and pulling them as one into one of her bone-crushing embraces. "Mama told me hugs make everything better!" She called, in some natural need to help her new friends and calm them down.

"Hnnnng!" Perci felt herself being chocked by this display of the brute's sheer force, trying to struggle her way out of it, though without any extra aura it proved far more difficult than she anticipated. "P-Piss off you bitch! L-Let me go!" On the other end, Leila gasped just as much, attempting to escape the friendly, though extremely tight hug. "Right, you asked for it!" Perci shouted, pressing a palm against a section of Jin's skin, and activating her semblance, she unleashed herself on the dust infused's aura, attempting to drain her dry and free herself.

What followed was something Perci could honestly not anticipate, as even from the bit she drained she felt the brute's aura, golden and large, hit her psyche like a truck with a wave of ease and comfort, whisking away her earlier feelings against her will. While draining people left her vulnerable to their emotional turmoil, sometimes even slipping herself into said emotions, Jin's aura did not only feel weird to her, it felt outright… calm. Far too calm, compared to anything Perci had ever drained before, almost unnervingly so.

"...Perci?" Leila snapped her finger against Perci's face, snapping her out of the small trance Jin's aura put her into. She looked around, seeing Jin curled up on the floor, with herself and Leila having full reign over their bodies again.

"W-What the fuck just..." She muttered, still a bit dizzy, Looking around one more time to make sure she wasn't dreaming.

"Jin left us alone after you stopped screaming at her..." Leila came to explain, raising an eyebrow in curiosity. "Is... Everything alright? You seemed a bit off."

"What? Yeah, sure, fuck off." Perci tried rebounding, though traces of Jin's aura still resonated within her, taking a bit more time to ease up fully. She climbed to her bed, laying with her face against the wall, taking a short nap, and leaving both Leila and Hue perplexed.

"What do you think was that? I mean I could only assume it had something to do with Perci's semblance but..." Leila asked her teammate, the faunus waving her head.

"Knowledge about the nature of the dust infused, from the brief research I conducted into the matter, yielded only expunged and redacted results. I could not tell you any more than you and I know now."

At this point, all Leila could do was sigh. With Perci asleep and not shouting profanities slash desecrating her god, she could finally have a moment's rest, kneeling in front of her bed and taking a short prayer to the Lord, asking for the guidance and support he rained upon her every day. As she did, Hue, busy scribbling in her book, finally put it down, seemingly having something to say.

"You... Seem to pray a lot." She mentioned it, and once Leila finished her prayer, she looked up at Hue, smiling gently and elegantly.

"Indeed, that is part of a nun's way of life." It wasn't too hard, and Leila had a sense Hue was going somewhere with this, but regardless, she kept it going at her pace.

"Is there anything in your religion about the moon of Remnant? Any form of legends, or tales, or verses?" Hue asked, and Leila closed her eyes, trying to recall the Scriptures she memorized as a young acolyte in the church. She took several minutes, finally remembering something that might interest her friend, and opened them, looking at Hue with silver orbs.

"Hmm... There was one verse, an old one, in our Scriptures. After the Lord had birthed the children of man and the Faunus with them, he crafted them a guardian in their own image. A silent sphere in the sky, to protect them in the night as the sun did in the day, banishing the grimm away from their homes to keep them safe."

"I see... Interesting. And what do you think about it? Is it true?" As Hue spoke to her, she was already writing away, filling her small tome with note after note, including the small extract of Leila's Scriptures, as told by her.

"Of course. The Lord is the maker and Sheppard of humankind and the Faunus. We are all born under his wing, given our divine purpose, and set into the world, to live our lives. It is my humble duty to be his angel-to-be and servant." She replied in one breath, no stutters or pauses, as if the phrase was already ingrained in her mind, rehearsed and repeated many times before this one.

While most of the time Hue would not bother to listen to such faceless dribble, the tale about the moon did catch her interest. She knew, from experience, that legends usually include a hint of truth to them, this one most likely being no exception, taking her time to record it all and save it for future analysis. "Hmm... I see. Thank you for your input." Hue nodded to her, closing down her book and putting it on a shelf by her side of the bed. Leila bowed back, giving her a polite smile.

"it is a pleasure. If you have any more questions about the Lord or the faith, please, do no hesitate to ask me. I will do my best to answer them for you." She offered, Hue nodding her head politely. If things go her way, she would never have to bring up the subject every again, and she preferred it like that. She was a faunus of facts, not legends and myths with no base in history.

From there, Leila and Hue set about to unpack their belongings, trading small talk here and there while Leila put her spare robes in the dorm's closet, and Hue placed several pieces of equipment on the night stand. After a short while, Perci finally woke up, still groggy but seemingly back to her usual self. Subsequently, set out to throw her pajamas into the closet without any proper order or rhythm, simply claiming one of the shelves in there as her own personal dump, something that Leila had to stop herself from trying to forcefully fix. After that, Perci pulled out a custom made hanger, putting it next to the spare robes.

"Just puttin' it out there, that hanger is for my suit. Anyone who uses it for anything else isn't gonna like what I'll do to them. Got it?" She semi-threatened, both Leila and Hue nodding in understanding, though none of them seemed to feel extremely intimidated by her hollow words.

Once all of them finally finished arranging their stuff in the dorm, Jin yawned, waking up, and raising to sitting on the floor. She looked at her friends, smiling, and humming a weak tune to herself, her body waving about to each note. Perci couldn't help but raise an eyebrow, approaching Jin again, sitting on the floor before her and staring at her directly. Jin, in response, raised her face to look at Perci's, grinning like usual.

"Hi!" She said, Perci windrowing the response for a bit, thinking about what to say.

"So... Can you, uh, explain to me what the hell you are anyway?"

"Perci..." Leila groaned a bit. "That's not polite asking someone something like that."

"Oh come on, it's not like she cares. I mean look at her." Perci snapped her fingers, and Jin, just like a cat, turned her head to the source of the noise, following Perci's fingers for a bit as she moved her hand about. "See? She's like a fucking cat. This is actually hilarious when I think about it." She cackled, Leila waving her head.

"Still... Oh, never mind. It's not like you'll actually listen to what I have to say." She sighed, getting up, and in an attempt to clear her head, walked outside of the dorm for a stroll, leaving the other three inside.

"So anyway... Jin, right?" Perci turned to Hue to affirm this, who nodded positively. "mind explainin' to me what the fuck are you anyway? Some freak of nature or somethin'?"

"Mama told me I was born like this! She said I was special, but I think I'm me!" Jin's reply only left Perci more baffled than before. At the very least, she had the general concept in mind for Jin's origin, though how that came to pass was just as bullshit to her as the other crap she's seen in this school so far. From Ozpin and his super duper mysterious shenanigans to Glynda, who she swore at this point had an ACTUAL ruler up her ass, to the other students, all of them having their own unique and pretty personalities.

"I... see. And what the fuck does THAT mean eh? You got some mental fuck-ups or some shit?" Perci questioned her again, Jin looking at her without answering, bits of awe gleaming in her eyes. Seeing this, Perci smirked, crossing her arms and getting up. "Well, at least she knows who's the alpha bitch around here." Her smirk was accompanied with a cackle, one that Hue couldn't help but roll her eyes at.

A Perci was busy basking in being the best bitch in the dorm, the door opened up, Leila, Ash, and Melody walking in shortly after.

"...and here we are... Team JPLL's humble abode." She continued a sentence from what seemed to be an earlier conversation.

"Seems neat," Ash concluded, eyeing the inhabitants, before giving Jin a smile. "Hey, Jin."

"Hi!" Jin cheered, still sitting on the floor.

"Is she uh..." Melody couldn't help but question her current position, Perci going up to Jin and trying to get her up to the bed.

"Come on Jin... Maybe it's time you got off the floor, eh?" Suddenly, in Melody's presence, Perci seemed to change. Her foul tone was reduced greatly, and her demeanor seemed a lot more nicely. It almost seemed like she was making a conscious effort, already setting several red flags in Leila's mind. Even from her brief time knowing the delinquent, she could point out how selfish she was. Jin gradually followed her, getting up as Perci pulled her arm, and let the suit wearing girl lead her to the bed, where the softness and the comfort quickly caught her, making Jin fall asleep right away, curling into a ball of fluff and hair as she did. "So, anyway..." Perci gave a sharp turn in place, facing Melody and giving her a suave look. "How's your day so far, Love?"

"I-It's _Melody,_ thank you very much." Melody turned her head, trying to sound defiant, though soon enough she found herself hiding partially behind Ash.

"Ah, come now... I don't bite." Perci tried to ease up the mood. "Well, usually." She gave Melody a slightly seductive look, raising her eyebrows as she did, Melody finally having enough of her antics and turning to the door.

"I-I'll... see you later, Ash. You two, Leila." She closed the door behind her, walking out, Perci sighing as her facade dropped, and her usual rotten self came out, rearing her ugly head like nothing changed. All Ash could do is give Perci a cold, if not stern glare.

"...What? Somethin' in my teeth?" She asked, picking her teeth with her tongue, as Ash walked in closer, her lips curling down in slight disgust.

"Alright... Let's make this perfectly clear, missy." She cracked her neck. "I've seen your type before."

"I could say the same goody two shoes. Do you REALLY think you're the first to confront me like that?" Perci looked up at her, eyes sinister under her hat, and her smirk ever present. Ash rolled her eyes.

"Anyway... I'm gonna go now and see how Melody is doing. And if she tells you to back off next time and you don't? Then the two of us are gonna have an issue. Capeesh?" Her voice was cold and vindictive, and Perci could only sneer at her in return.

"Oh, I don't think YOU got it right, bitch. I'm gonna do WHATEVER I want, WHENEVER I want it. _Capeesh?_ " She asked through gritting teeth, tension building up between the two until Leila decided to step in, to try and calm the spirits before Jin would try one of her hugs again.

"Alright... I think enough is enough. Ash, tell Copper and Undine I send them my regards, yes?" Ash nodded, turning in place and walking out. After the door was closed a second time, and she made sure Ash couldn't hear her, she turned to Perci again, she was sitting on her bed again, as if nothing happened.

"...Well?" Leila asked her, expecting some sort of response from the girl. "Got anything to say for yourself?"

"About?..." Perci couldn't help but smirk as Leila's face grow another nice shade of red, from anger.

"Don't play coy! Everything you see Melody you turn all... Nice, and pleasant. And..." She turned her head to the side, finding it hard to actually bring it to words. "I don't trust me. What is your plan here?"

"My plan?... Simple." Perci's smirk grew wider and wider as she uttered the simple, yet borderline evil sounding plan of hers. "She looks hot, so I want her. And here's the thing, Nun..." She got up, staring Leila dead in the eyes. "I'm the kind of gal who gets what she wants."

"Oh you insufferable!-" Leila came to shout at her, stopping at the very last second, calming herself down, though her rage was still very evident in her eyes. "...No. I won't throw a tantrum. It is unbecoming of me."

"You can do whatever the FUCK you want, Nun." Perci laughed. "That muse is as good as mine!" She turned to the door, having had enough of everyone's shit for the next hundred years or so. "It's only a matter of time..." She opened it up, slipping past it, and closing the door behind her, leaving Leila to her own devices.

Outside, Perci went out for a stroll of her own. She exited the student dormitories, heading to the cliff, and with the time she had for the day, stared out into the horizon. She wanted it so badly, to just go away from Beacon and return to her old life... But the barely audible beeping noise that came from the tracker bracelet on her leg was a constant reminder that at the end of the day, she couldn't. She was trapped here, under glorified house arrest, until Ozpin deemed her worthy to go out into the world again. She thought about trying to break it, but she was warned in advance against any attempering to the temper with the device, as it would cause an alarm to go off and alert Beacon's staff of her attempt to escape.

"Something on your mind, lass?" She heard a burly sounding man approach her from behind, and turned around, to see a chubby looking man with a large, poufy mustache and large eyebrows walking towards her, wearing mostly brown. "Wait... You are Ms. Valiére, correct? The young lady Ozpin said is on parole."

"Eh, just some bullshit that I'll have to deal with sooner or later... And either way with this fucking thing on my leg it's basically a more open-ended prison." She shrugged, pulling out a cigar out of her pocket and realizing she forgot the lighter when she left. "Got a light?"

"I Do... But kids your age shouldn't be smoking, even if this cigar does look rather... High quality." he mumbled. "You've got so much to live for! So many great tales of heroism and epics you could tell to your children!"

"Meh, don't worry about that sort of crap... I'm pretty sure at this point I'm barren, even if I DID want children. Which I don't. I mean seriously, they can be such a bother..." She waved her head, adamant in her request for a lighter or a match.

The man sighed. "Hmm... Tell you what." He pulled out a lighter. "Do you know who I am?"

"No... Should I?" She gave him a glazed look, barely interested in him.

"Well, I am Peter Port, one of the teachers in Beacon." He introduced himself, giving her a small bow. "Now, I will lend you my lighter, for now. In return, I want you to do your best in your studies in Beacon, and give it the best you've got. Sounds good?" he asked her, Perci grinning in response and taking the lighter.

"Alright... You got yourself a deal, old man." She lit her cigar, puffing on it, and staring at the sunset. Of course, she had no intention of actually doing any of this, but regardless, if he was enough of an idiot to actually BELIEVE her, he deserved anything that was coming to him.

"Excellent! Then I hope to see you in my Grimm study classes soon. Ms. Valiére." Port beamed, turning and walking off, having duties to attend to, while Perci was left there, to ponder about the upcoming school year and all that it will bring with it.

* * *

Over at team ACMN's dorm, where things were already in check, neatly organized and prepared for the school life they all chose, Ash was sitting next to Melody on her bed, hand over her shoulder. Undine was sitting on her other end, concerned for her just as much, Copper herself seemingly looking at Melody from a certain distance.

"Hey... You alright? You don't have to worry about that jerk, okay? If she does anything like that, again, just tell me and I'll take care of her." Ash tried to sound reassuring, having plenty of experience dealing with strong arms and bullies in her childhood hobby of helping her father with cases, and while none of them involved Huntsman or crazy magic-esque powers, the human mind was still the same all around. "Seriously, though. How do you even feel about her?"

"Well... I'm... Not sure." Melody admitted, looking at the rest of them, blushing a healthy hue of pink. "I mean... She's really mean, and selfish, and I'd never date her... But you can't help but notice her, if it makes any sense. She just got presence, and I guess the muscles don't hurt her figure." She started to mumble a bit, but before long she shook her head. "B-But it's not like I'm interested in her or anything!" She kept waving her head about, Ash giving her a quiet sigh.

"Mel... Look. I know, it sounds tempting and mysterious, and so on. But trust me, she's the WRONG crowd to be with. I'm pretty sure she'd make up pretty much anything to get you to go out with her or something of the sort."

"Yeah..." Undine nodded. "Perci seriously smells rotten to me. If I were you, I'd just steer clear from her."

"One would presume her psychological profile to be that of the truth fabricating type indeed." Copper opened her mouth. "I could only advise caution when interacting with her."

"I..." Melody looked at her friends, appreciating the concern in their eyes, and finally nodding in agreement. "...Yeah, you're right. I shouldn't be letting her get to me like that."

"That's my songbird." Ash Ruffled her hair, and Melody made a small gasp in surprise, jumping in place and inching away from her slightly.

"C-Come on... Don't do that..." Melody's blush intensified, drawing a laugh out of Undine, and a quiet chuckle out of Ash, though Copper seemed to keep it to herself at the moment, face remaining vacant.

"Well anyway..." I think it's about time we headed out to lunch. Who's up for grub?" Ash got up, stepping towards the door, and keeping it open for the rest of her new team to walk through, as Undine, Melody, and Copper all walked out, heading to the cafeteria with her. Honestly, she didn't know what it would be like, or what is even expected of her as a leader, but if there was one thing that was clear to her, it was this:

These were her friends. And she'd protect them at all costs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And this is a wrap for today! Don't forget to comment, kudos and bookmark, and I'll see you all on the next chapter of JPLL!


	9. Sins of The Past

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, Arch here, with the next chapter of JPLL! Like usual, I hope you all enjoy the chapter, and so, without further ado, let us begin:

As the weeks started to roll in at Beacon Academy, Teams JPLL and ACMN's lives started to take a certain rhythm to them. By now, Jin was officially inducted to the student body, records being official and formed filled out, and so far, things sailed smoothly for the two teams.

Each morning, the teams would wake up, Leila and Hue working together to try and dress Jin in her already tattered and torn uniform, which she managed to ruin the day she got it, simply by being far too large to such tight clothing. On top of it, she seemed to have a distaste for the uniform in general, and even when they managed to dress her up, she'd shake her body violently, causing even further tears in the poor fabric, making Leila wish she knew the fine art of hand sewing. Perci, of course, would just sit on her already messy bed, or rather, two beds, as Jin seems comfortable sleeping curled up on the floor, giving the delinquent the leisure of conquering the adjacent bed to herself, much to Leila's protests of unfairness and the fact that it wasn't meant to her. Occasionally, while the other two would try and dress up their mighty team leader, she'd pass a snarky comment and laugh at her own joke, taking her sweet time to find her uniform, which she hated just like the rest of the things in Beacon. The only real reason she even wore them was that doing otherwise would put her parole at risk.

On ACMN's end, things worked far too smoothly, as the team leader wasn't some feral creature from who knows where. Though Undine's sleeping habits and snoring did leave the rest of them slightly sleep deprived, Ash's expression never went sour with her, though at the same time she was the one to wake last, usually Melody having to tap her shoulder to get the detective girl to open her eyes to yet another world.

In yet another normal, rather slow school morning, after the teams got ready for the day and several loud laughing streaks could be heard from team JPLL's dorm, the group all got out, dressed up and ready to go.

"I swear, Jin's uniform gets more and more torn up every day I see her..." Ash commented, laughing silently, Leila having to fix a part of her braid, which got loose in the ongoing war between Jin and clothing.

"And good morning to you too, Ash." Leila addressed her, bowing as she usually did, the cross pendant hanging from her neck over Beacon's uniform. Which she'd usually put it under her robe, in times such as this she took to letting it show, signifying her faith and connection to the Lord.

"Right, right. Mornin'." Ash nodded back and pointed towards the hall with her head. "Let's get to class, shall we? I think we have Oobleck's class this morning."

"Oh boy. _My favorite._ " Undine grunted, gritting teeth.

"Tell me about it." Perci agreed with her. "I swear for everything that asshole says, you'd think SOME of them would be interesting."

"History _is_ interesting," Leila interjected, looking at Perci with eyes weary of her constant negativity. "Perhaps if you bothered to listen instead of making ridiculous jokes and quips all lesson you'd find it enjoyable to listen to him."

"Nah, if anyone in this school is worth listening to it's Port. T'least his stories are gripping, I'd tell you that much..." At this point, the rest of the group, sans Jin and Copper, who didn't have any opinion on the matter, gave an audible sigh. So far, Perci was one of the only students in Beacon who actually gave a shit about Port's tall tales of heroism and might, seemingly enjoying each and every over the top one.

"I honestly have no idea how you can even manage to listen to him all day without going mad..." Undine threw in her two cents. "I literally have to fight myself not to fall asleep, unlike Jin over there." Her round face turned in place to see Jin's tall frame, walking alongside them, seemingly enjoying the pleasant mood and humming some pleasant tune to herself.

"I mean come on, you KNOW he's awesome when he tells about the time he jumped into a FUCKING VOLCANO to fight a grimm. Seriously Fish-girl. A VOLCANO. How awesome is THAT?" Perci's voice started to pick up in excitement.

"More akin to an obvious fabrication." Hue corrected her. "If you bothered to listen to the smaller details of his stories the inconsistencies and plot holes pile up rather quickly, all things considered." The rest nodded, with Perci rolling her eyes.

"Bah, none of you know how to have fun." She muttered, putting her hands in the uniform's pockets, walking with her shoulders stiffened and raised, trying to stave away the rest of them.

"W-Well... I like Professor Peach the best." Melody tried to join the conversation, shifting the subject lightly.

"I suppose out of all the teachers in Beacon Oobleck would be the most tolerable." Hue brought up her opinion, Copper nodding in agreement.

"Oobleck possesses vast amounts of knowledge. He is quite useful." Copper added to Hue's words.

"Hmm... I would have to go with Glynda. So far, she seems to be the most virtuous and selfless person here." Leila thought about it a bit.

"More like the one with the longest ruler up her ass," Perci mentioned off hand, Ash snickering to the sound of her words.

"Alright credit where it's due that _was_ kinda funny."

"I know right? I mean have you SEEN her during combat practices? You move your legs ONE inch away from where they're supposed to be and she starts screaming her ass off about disrupting her class or something."

"I'm certain sitting with your legs over the seats before you and smoking in her lesson didn't do any better to elevate her mood Perci." Leila reminded her, and Perci shrugged.

"What? I DID throw it after she told me, didn't I?"

"And AGAIN, I am sure throwing your cigar into the arena wasn't the best course of action EITHER." Leila's patience was starting to run thin, and Jin came closer to her, noticing her innate anger at her teammate.

"Hugs?" She asked, spreading her arms a bit, Leila taking a few steps away to get out of her hugging range.

"N-No, No, I'll be fine Jin. See?" Leila put on a fake smile, but Jin's eyes didn't go off from her, waiting until Leila actually calmed down before letting her hands fall back.

"Okay!" Jin smiled, stepping back, Leila sighing in relief as the group finally reached the proper classroom, may of the other students already inside, preparing for the lesson.

* * *

About ninety minutes later, and one long speech about the history of Remnant, Oobleck was finally nearing the very end of his lesson.

"And THAT, children, is how..." He tried to add another sentence, though the sounds of Jin snoring managed to catch him off guard, the giant dust infused faunus sitting with her head between her hands, snoring as she slept the entire lesson away.

"Ms. Jin, is there something I should know about?" He came towards her, mug of coffee in hand, now standing right in front of Jin's dormant form. "Ms. Jin... Ms. Jin!" He tried waking her up, shouting or making some noise, but alas, nothing seemed to help, and Jin kept sleeping, much to the amusement of the other students, many of them sharing a laugh, Perci included. As he heard them laugh, Oobleck turned around, looking rather annoyed at the whole saturation.

"Alright then. If you all think one of your friends sleeping is more interesting then my lesson... Then I want an essay of the material in this lecture on my desk by next week." He said, the students groaning in defeat.

"Man, fuck that!" A lone voice spoke up from the crowds. "Why the hell are WE getting punished? Not MY fault she decides to sleep like that all damn day."

The classroom turned silent, heads turning to the source of the voice, when Perci stood up, facing Oobleck defiantly. "You wanna punish someone? Punish them for what they DID." She finished her sentence, sitting down, an awkward silence spreading in her wake for several seconds, as even Oobleck said nothing, pondering his words.

"...Perci, please stay after class." He finally concluded, the girl huffing with pride at the fact that she managed to peeve the teacher. From there, Oobleck, unable to do anything with Jin, left her be, tuning out her small snores as he resumed his lecture. At this point, fearing their grades, the students redoubled their efforts not to fall asleep right there and then, diligently writing the material down, taking notes and preparing for the homework at hand. Finally, the bell rung, and the lesson was other, giving the students some break time in between lessons.

"..." Leila stared at Perci, who remained seated. She didn't even have an open notebook, nor any writing material. "I will see you next class." She finally managed to mutter, getting up and walking out. Soon enough, the class emptied up, with the only remaining people there being Perci, Oobleck, and Jin, who was still sleeping soundly, despite all the noise around her.

"Alright then." Perci, once seeing the last of the students, and her team, in particular, walk out, stepped over the seats, going to the first row as close to Oobleck as she could get. "What's up, doc?"

"I don't think I have to tell you what is up." Oobleck didn't spare her any breaks, handing her a piece of paper with her name on it, as well as a failing grade.

"...So it's a failed test. And?" She raised an eyebrow, staring at him curiously, trying to determine if there was ANYTHING that he said that was worth her full attention.

"Perci... Why? Why do this? I've seen your grades on Professor Port's class, and you could do so much more than this if you tried." He paused, trying to inspire some part of her to strive for better, Perci only giving him a cold shouldered shrug.

"What's the point? History is bullshit anyway. So some guy said this to another guy and they ended up killing each other. Whoopty shit I could show you THAT happening downtown in like ten minutes."

"If this is what you see in history, then I'm afraid you've been missing the point." He argued, only to be met with stern disagreement from the other end. "Don't you think that if you learned from your past you could improve upon yourself?"

At that moment, Perci grew oddly quiet. Her smirk faded slowly, giving way to an almost painful looking grunt, the look in her eyes giving a stark hint as to the truth laying deep within. "The past? You know what's good about the past?" She inched in, looking him dead in the eye, with the gaze of someone who's seen enough shit in their life to be able to think any different. "That it's not here anymore. And NOTHING else." Her voice was resolute. Oobleck took a moment to register her extreme views of the world.

"I think... That you need to give it a shot. If you can sit and listen to Peter's stories for hours on end, then I want you to at least try. Don't you think cutting what you don't like from your life without looking at it from every side is gonna bite you in the end?"

"Sometimes, 'doctor'..." She sighed, her gaze unchanging. "You burn enough bridges the only way to move is forward. I don't HAVE a past. And I don't NEED one."

After that, Oobleck finally realized what he was dealing with. He quieted down, and sat in front of her, sighing. "Perci... Many students passed through my class. Each of them, I gave the knowledge I know, and the skills they'll need as Huntsman on Remnant. Do you know why I want to do that?"

"Enlighten me." She sighed, bracing herself for yet another boring lecture.

"Because, at the end of the day, when all is said and done, this is the most powerful tool I can give my students. The gift of knowledge." He explained himself to Perci. "There are many uses to the past, Perci. It's not just a bad memory."

"Oh SHUT UP!" Her voice raised to a shout. "You don't know ANYTHING about what I've been through! You think you're so high and mighty here, huh! Well SEE IF I CARE!" Her emotions ran wild, anger overflowing, years of her own past flashing in front of her eyes.

"Regardless... I cannot let you fail the class." He concluded. "If you get another failing grade here... Then I'd be forced to report this to Ozpin and your parole would be at stake."

"Tsk!..." She sneered, looking at him with a degree of disgust. "And here I thought I was rotten to the core... Eh, I guess being strong armed into doing something isn't something that surprising." She sighed, looking to the side.

"Just one last thing..." He came to say, taking a seat. "You know that Beacon has a psychologist on grounds, right? Please, go to him. I know I'm not qualified for this sort of task... But I genuinely think you could use someone confidential to talk to."

"What, HIM? Oh please, Topaz is as creepy as they get." In truth, she was going to him on a weekly basis every since the school year began as part of her parole plan. "Dude's an odd, creepy fuck if you ask me."

"Disrespect notwithstanding, he is an expert in his field. I'd do wisely to listen to him." Oobleck countered her argument, taking a sip of his coffee. "In any case, you are dismissed. Don't forget to take notes from one of your teammates to get the assignment done in time." He then looked at Jin. "And please help your... Team leader, out."

"Right, right... Whatever." She rolled her eyes one more time, walking up to Jin and shaking her up. "Oi! Brute! Get up you dumb fuck the lesson's over!"

"...Hmm?" Jin's eyes fluttered open, and she looked at Perci again, with that ever-present smile, only further angering her for some reason. "Hi!" Jin called, and hearing her approach her with the same tune, even after treating her so badly, made Perci's expression even more perplexed than before.

She just didn't understand it. In the several weeks she's seen Jin and lived with her, the girl didn't show anger or sadness even ONCE. The nun was easy to rile up, and even that nerd Hue had some semblance of emotion, or at least anger. But Jin... She could have sworn that the giant didn't even know what anger WAS. "Come on... I'm calling you so many terrible things here... You're not even gonna react to it? Call me names too? ANYTHING?" She questioned it out loud, while helping Jin out of the chair, which barely fit her, getting the gentle giant out to the floor, walking with her to the door.

"B-But you're a friend..." Jin muttered, looking at her with that same hint of admiration. "And you're so... big!" She said it without hostility or discontent in her voice, making Perci wonder what it meant anyway.

"And that means..." She looked at her, spinning one hand to gesture her to explain, opening the door with the other, Jin stepping out and herself coming after.

"That you're big! And pink! And strong!" Jin exclaimed, grinning widely like she completely understood what it meant.

"...Alright, then. Never asking you about THAT again." Perci, having had enough bullshit for one day, walked with her to the next class.

* * *

All throughout that day, Oobleck's words echoed through her mind. She tried shaking them off, but no matter what she did, the past just kept popping back into her head. Images of her childhood, pictures of a weakling girl who let her parents lock her up inside their home for years on end flashed back into her mind, Perci physically shaking her head at times to try and rid herself of them.

That girl was dead now. Only Perci remained.

By the end of the final lesson, Perci looked weary and strained. She hated days like these, and to top it all off, she now had to spend the entire evening with those bitches that called themselves team JPLL. As soon as the final bell rung, Perci got up, walking off to the dorm, not even bothering with waiting for the rest of them. Thoughts and doubts kept running through her head, and for the most part, she would have handled them fine, if that asshole of a psychologist didn't read her so damn well, playing to her weaknesses, as few as those were, peering into her mind both figuratively AND literally.

Seeing Perci leave in such a hurry, Leila couldn't help but wonder about what transpired that day to make her so... quiet. Usually, she'd spew those dumb gags of hers at everything around her, or try and aggravate Leila herself with some insult to God or something of the sort. Yet, contrary to her regular persona, she said nothing, deep in thought every time she saw her walking about. Sensing this might be another trial for her to overcome, Leila turned to Hue, pointing at Jin.

"Hue, can I ask you to take Jin back to the dorm? I want to see what is happening with Perci." She asked, and Hue nodded, intending to head there either way.

"Very well. I will see you later on Leila." Hue sighed, taking Jin's hand, and walking with her away. Ash approached her shortly after, slight concern in her eyes.

"You gonna go and talk to Perci?"

"Yeah... I've never seen her as quiet like this, I'll be honest." Leila admitted, Ash nodding in agreement.

"Just... Be careful 'round her, alright? Types like her... Are rather quick to anger." She spoke out of experience, hoping her friend would keep herself safe.

Leila nodded, and with the warning in mind, set out to look for her teammate, combing Beacon for any clue as for the delinquent's location. Eventually, students she passed by told her they saw someone fitting Perci's description, holding a bottle of liquor of all things, heading to the roof of the school. Assuming the worst, Leila hastened her steps, running the halls as quickly as she could, and upon getting to the roof's balcony, she stepped out, seeing a slightly blushing Perci with a half empty bottle, leaning on the railing surrounding the terrace and watching the sun slowly descend into the horizon.

"...Perci?" She spoke up, the girl in the hat not turning to recognize her. Leila approached her, worry in her voice, though also a hint of carefulness. "Is... Everything alright?"

"Heh..." Perci muttered, taking another sip of her bottle. "You have the same tone they did..." She was clearly reminiscing, about ages past, seven long years of survival on her own in the underworld of Vale.

"They?" Leila, curious, stepped in a little closer.

"Yeah... I'd come to a place, try and find somewhere to sleep, and the moment people realized what I could do... They'd all have the same look..." She finally turned her face around, and Leila could see that she was, in fact, drunk to a degree, cheeks pink and a bitter, sorrowful smile on her face. "The look that meant it's time to go and find another home..."

"Perci... Where did you get that?" She pointed to the bottle in her hands, Perci shrugging.

"Smuggled it when I came to Beacon. I was hoping to save it for a better occasion... But I suppose using it to wash away the bad memories would do." She chuckled, sadness still audible in her slow, rough voice, taking another sip and giving a small hick up.

"Perci, please, put down the bottle." Leila beseeched her. "I know that we don't usually see eye to eye... But it's never an excuse to refuse to help someone. If you need to talk, we're here."

"Oh please, cut the crap, Nun. You all hate me and you know it." Perci sneered, laughing bitterly. "Why in the name of fuck would you want to be friends with a monster anyway?" As she said this, Leila tilted her head a bit. Something inside her finally realized it too. Perci wasn't this mean because she wanted to hurt anyone.

She did this because she literally didn't know anything else in her life.

At that moment, Leila paused, and decided to step closer to her. Perci looked at her, breath reeking of alcohol and a smile of someone who didn't fully realize what was going on around them, not doing anything in particular to stop her.

"What, you gonna try and hug me or some shi-" Before she could finish that sentence, Leila embraced her, wrapping two arms around Perci's form, keeping herself steady. Perci's expression soon shifted, from a rather relaxed drunkard to that of borderline aggressive tendencies.

"...Get off." She commanded, though her body did not resist the nun's touch.

"No. I won't leave you like this alone." Leila insisted, making Perci even angrier.

"So what, now we're fucking FREINDS?!" Her voice raised again. "And just how long this time, huh?! Just how long until you grow tired of this charade and kick me out?!"

"I won't! None of us will!" She called out, resolute in her words. Perci paused again, small tears forming at the corner of her eyes.

"And just the fuck am I gonna trust THAT, huh? You REALLY think you're the first person out there to tell me I can trust them before stabbing me in the back? You REALLY think you're the first one to try and get me to open up with a hug, only to throw me out like yesterday's trash when it wasn't convenient keeping me around anymore?" After that, Perci paused a bit, her voice lowering to a mere whisper.

"Do you honestly think I could ever trust anyone out there after all the shit I've been through?" As she asked this, Leila herself closed her eyes, pondering. She had to think carefully, as Perci might act violently at her if she said something wrong. Deep down, however, her compassion for the girl she thought was irredeemable gleamed brightly. She now knew what the Lord planned for her by placing her with Perci on the same team.

"There's always a first time for everything," Leila concluded. "And I won't let you stay like this." She kept hugging her tightly, her strength not nearly as powerful as Jin's, but regardless, she managed to convey her feelings properly. For the first few seconds, all Perci could do was fidget in her hands as she tried to get out of her touch, tear falling from her face. Soon enough, however, the tears intensified, and sadness she was harboring for years on end manifested before the nun, showing her a whole other side of the girl who claimed everything to be horrible.

"You better not tell anyone about this, got that? I'll never forgive you if you do." Perci managed to say in between silent sobs, Leila nodding in agreement. While she was not one to keep secrets forever, believing the concept of secrecy and lies to be appalling, she knew it had to be done if it meant Perci would be able to heal.

"I'll take it with me to the grave." Leila managed to sneak in a small smile, Perci rolling her eyes.

"You better." Slowly, her mood managed to improve. The tears still came to her after that for a few minutes, but soon enough, she managed to kick that out too, returning to being slightly drunk and mellow.

"Now come on, let's get back to the dorm." Leila let Perci wrap an arm around her shoulder, leading her slowly back through the halls. By now the sun already set entirely, shards of the moon slowly appearing in the windows as the two walked together, finally bonding for the first time since they met. "I'm sure the others are worried about you."

When they finally got back, Hue was vacant, having left a note on her bed she'd be back later on. Jin was sleeping soundly on the floor like she always did, though when the two of them got back, her lips curled upwards a bit as if sensing the two of them being close to her once more.

"Now, please, get some sleep, alright? You should let the alcohol... Um..." Leila paused, having no real knowledge of how drinking alcohol worked. "...Disperse? Is that how it works?"

Perci shrugged. "Eh... Close enough. Anyway, I'll sleep in a bit, I have something I need to do first." Leila nodded, leaving her be, finally changing from her school uniform to her pajamas, crawling into her bed and wrapping herself in her blanket.

"History, huh?..." Perci sat on her bed, taking the history book issued to her as part of her scholarship in Beacon. "Well... I guess it won't hurt giving it a shot..."

She opened the book, and for the first time in her life, began to read about Remnant's own past.


	10. The Girl Who Could See Auras

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Time for today's chapter of team JPLL! So far, the teams seem to come together quite nicely, wouldn't you say? Regardless, don't forget to follow, favorite and review, and most importantly, enjoy.

"Next! Pyrrha Nikos Vs. Cardin Winchester!"

Glynda's voice echoed throughout the combat arena, as the two participants stepped down to the bottom floor, each brandishing their own weapon and skills, as part of Glynda's combat lesson. The rest of the students, between them teams JPLL and ACMN, watched with glee as the fabled Pyrrha Nikos proceeded to effortlessly beat Cardin without too much of a scratch, earning a few cheers and claps from amongst her peers, making Pyrrha blush lightly as she stepped back up to the seats.

As she walked up, Leila couldn't help but gaze at her with a hint of admiration, for her skill if nothing else. Soon, she felt the tap on her shoulder, Perci giving her a coy grin, who noticed her staring.

"So. Got a crush on Ms. High an' Mighty over there?" She cackled, and Leila, slightly used to her japes and cynicism at this point, simply waved her head, looking at her partner instead.

"Not affection, but admiration. One can't ignore such a blessed individual when she walks amongst us. I am sure the Lord has chosen her for great things." She spun her head in place again, fidgeting slightly as Pyrrha walked past them, pretending to fix her glasses to avoid her direct line of sight.

"So, gonna go and say hello?" Perci suggested, and Leila waved her head, blushing.

"O-Oh, I couldn't! One does not disturb others like that for no reason." She admitted, causing Perci to cackle again.

"Oh, one of these days..." She implied at the unseen schemes forming in her mind, Leila shuddering at the thought of a plan _Perci_ formulated of all people, just imagining the various ways she finds to insult the Lord as an example.

All the while, from the moment the fight began to the moment it was finished, Jin was sitting next to Hue, clutching her hand tightly, a look of dread on her face. For some odd reason that Hue couldn't fathom, Jin always seemed to hate combat class. However, despite that, for some reason she always wore her cheerful grin before walking into it and sitting down.

"Jin..." Hue looked at her partner and team leader, sighing. "Jin, they're alright. No one got hurt. See?" She pointed to the defeated Cardin, who, as Hue said, was just as lively as ever, even after the public display of his ineptitude and lack of skill compared to someone as graceful as Pyrrha. As she took a look, Jin's expression changed quite rapidly, shifting moods as quickly like she usually did during combat lessons, plastering a pleasant smile upon her face.

"Okay!" She cuddled against Hue, even purring lightly. While at first Hue tried to push her away every time she did that, she couldn't help but grow accustomed to having Jin's massive weight lean on her adorably, running a hand through her crystal filled hair to ease the giant's nerves.

After that, the students calmed down, and Glynda looked back at her scroll, as a holographic roulette with the student's names on it spun to determine the next match to happen. As the names dropped, Glynda raised her voice, calling out the next two contestants.

"Next! Jin VS. Sky Lark!"

A moment of silence ran throughout the students. So far, Jin was a side distraction at best or a minor nuisance at worst. Many of the people around her seemed to have this distinct feeling towards her, but Jin didn't matter. To her, everyone was a friend, and she loved all of them just as much. She looked back at her partner, the girl having some doubt visible on her, but overall, she was just as pleasant and tall as ever,

"Well... Go ahead Jin. We'll root for you." She heard another's voice, turning her head to see the girl in the robes sitting next to her other end, nodding. She smiled.

"Okay!" She got up, walking down, as the boy mentioned walked alongside her.

"I still can't believe Ozpin let a freak like you into Beacon..." He muttered to himself, shaking his head and giving her a look.

"Thanks!" She cheered, beaming happily, making him groan as his only response.

"W-What?" He sounded confused, but shook his head regardless, stepping down to the combat arena and walking to the other end, Jin standing at the other end, facing him.

"I hope she'd be fine... You've seen how she reacts to the other fights before..." Leila voiced her concern.

"I am sure Jin would be able to handle it, considering her natural instinct and raw physical prowess," Hue responded, explaining with her own reasoning. "In fact, I would go as far to say Jin is a powerhouse amongst the student base, when taking into account her infused state and speed, despite her size."

"And those, ahem..." Perci faked a cough. _"Assets."_

The rest of the group could only sigh, with Melody in particular puffing her own chest. "T-They're not that big..." She muttered to herself, blushing, Perci winking in her direction.

"Don't worry Love, you're still an absolute smash." She put on her dashing, suave voice, making Melody's blush grew in hue before Ash tapped her shoulder, as Melody shook her head and snapped herself out of that small jealousy fit.

"Begin!" Glynda finally called out, starting the match. Sky readied his axe, expecting Jin to get into position, though the girl oddly enough remained as calm as ever, staring at him with a smile and not raising her hands, or drawing out any sort of weapon.

"Too easy!" He called out, running at her, and at the moment he swung his axe close to her head, Jin's eyes narrowed in shock, and she dashed away, running on all fours to the other end of the arena.

"W-Why?..." She kept repeating, shaking in place a bit, Sky giving her a gruff look.

"Look, GENIOUS, this is a combat lesson! We're supposed to fight! Now get over here so I can beat you down!" He ran at her again, Jin keeping her distance, moving out of his range every time he even got close.

"B-But we shouldn't fight! Mama told be fighting was bad!" She called out, dodging another blow of his weapon, as it hit the ground, causing it to crack.

"We fight grimm all the time! What the fuck is your DEAL!?" He stopped in place, lunging at her direction, aiming his axe at her one last time, as Jin raised her arms, catching the powerful weapon. She held it in place, him included, looking Sky in the eyes, tearing up a bit.

"I don't wanna fight! Your aura would get hurt!" She shouted, and the crowd stopped in place. Not a single voice was heard or uttered, as Jin put him down, running away again. She pitted herself at the edge of the arena, shaking in place, as Sky walked towards her, radiating intimidation, though a hint of fear of her.

"So what! Auras get hurt all the time!" He shouted, raising his axe at her one last time. "Now fight me or YOU'LL be the one that gets her aura hurt!" He yelled, letting his weapon fall.

"Enough!" Glynda called, using her semblance to halt his weapon mid-air, and toss it out, Sky being knocked back as Glynda hurried down, kneeling before the gentle giant.

"Jin? Are you oka-" Before she could finish her question, Jin jumped her, wrapping her arms around Glynda and the kindness she showed her, hugging her tightly, sobbing.

"I-I don't wanna fight him... M-Mama told me fighting other auras was bad..." She tried to explain, though to Glynda half of what she said was an utter enigma. She did, however, have an inkling as to what was going on, but she had to confirm it first, trying to get Jin to look at her directly.

"Jin..." She raised her voice a bit, to catch her attention. "What's the color of my aura?"

Jin only needed a brief glance at the woman in front of her to be able to tell. "P-Purple?"

Glynda, slightly shocked, stepped back a bit. She could hardly believe what she just heard, as Jin was, without a second doubt completely right.

"Class dismissed!" She called out, taking Jin's hand. "Jin, please, come with me. I promise you won't have to fight anyone today." She spoke, and Jin's golden eyes shimmered with hope.

"Y-You promise?" She sounded a bit desperate, and as Glynda nodded in agreement, she slowly got up, holding the nice woman's hand, as she was led towards the entrance, and the three auras of her friends stood in front of the two of them.

"Hold it. Where are you taking her?" Leila asked first, Hue nodding second and Perci keeping her gaze directly at the headmistress, distrust in her eyes.

"Worry not, children." Glynda beckoned them. "I won't do anything to Jin. I'm just taking her to see Ozpin, so we could make better sense of this predicament. If this is as I think it to be... Then perhaps Jin shouldn't be here at all." She explained, and after a minute or so, Leila finally eased up, stepping out of her way.

"Very well. We'll see you later then, Jin." She grinned at the giant's direction, Jin smiling back happily, her mood having improved by a large margin since her so called fight with the boy with the menacing aura.

From there, Jin was led by the nice, though strict aura all the way through Beacon, walking the many halls of the huge building, until reaching a small room that ascended all the way to the sky, opening the path for a larger room in tow. Jin looked inside, to see the old, ancient aura that resided there look at her, smiling at him and waving her arm.

"Hi!" She called out, and the old aura grinned back, nodding his head.

"Welcome, you two. Glynda, shouldn't this be the time for combat practice?" He asked her about the surprise visit, as she led Jin inside and pointing to one of the chairs. Jin sat down, cheerfully humming her old song to herself out of an old habit.

After sitting the girl down, Glynda approached Ozpin with a worried expression, making sure she couldn't hear them as she talked to him.

"Ozpin... She can see auras. I've confirmed it myself." She told him and explained the situation that led to this discovery. Ozpin's expression grew grave at the mere mention of the ability.

"Already? Dust infused people don't develop this ability so soon."

"But that's not all," She continued, and Ozpin leaned in, curious, yet worried at the same time. "I don't think she can control it. In fact, from the way she speaks... I feel that this is how she sees the world by _default._ "

"Hmm... Hold on, please." Ozpin turned away from Glynda and walked over to Jin, who happily hummed to herself, even singing a bit here and there.

"Hello, Jin. Mind if I asked you a few questions?" He started, and Jin nodded energetically.

"Sure!" She smiled, and Ozpin, taking a sip of his mug of coffee, sat down in front of her, looking at her curiously.

"So, you can see auras, correct?" His first question was, to a certain degree, an obvious one. Jin only nodded again, smiling with her mouth open, showing that even her teeth had remnants of crystal around them.

"Yup! Mama told me I was born like this!" She cheered, staring at the two of them, Ozpin showing not a hint of external emotion, sipping his coffee like usual.

"Then, if that's the case, can you turn it off?" He asked, wanting to make sure. Jin only tilted her head in confusion.

"Turn... Off?" She looked at him confused, though at this point it was all Ozpin needed to confirm his suspicions.

"Alright, then." He nodded to himself, making a mental note of her response. "Glynda here told me that your mother told you that hurting auras was bad. When did she tell you that?"

"Oh! When I was smaller! And we were fighting grimm, and she told me that hurting auras was bad, and the grimm wanna hurt auras!" Her story, though brief and told through the lens of a very child-like mind, still managed to convey to Ozpin what he wanted to head, nodding in response and closing his eyes, pondering her words and actions carefully.

"Oz..." Glynda approached him, sitting on a chair next to his own, looking at Jin carefully as she started humming her little song to herself again.

"It's a nice song, Jin," Ozpin muttered, his train of thought cut slightly by her rather loud hums. "Did you mother teach it to you?" He voiced his interest, and Jin's face beamed up, lips stretching even more, reaching ear to ear.

"Yeah! She used to sing it to me all the time!" She replied, this time outright singing with her mouth open, a happy lullaby made of wordless voices filling the room.

"I see... And your mother... Who was she?" Ozpin asked her, and Jin turned stopped singing, trying to think.

"She... Was Mama! And she was big, and strong, and she had a whole ARM made of dust!" As she mentioned her mother's arm, Ozpin quickly closed his eyes, sipping again. He assumed what that meant, and while he was sure he knew how this story would end, he wanted to hear her say how she saw it regardless.

"And you lived with her, right?"

"Yeah! And as I grew older, she became even MORE dust!" Her voice contained not a hint of sadness, nor grief. "Then it was her shoulder... And chest... And belly... And..." She kept recounting the various parts of her mother that got slowly crystallized, and Ozpin raised his hand, to stop her.

"So tell me, Jin... How did you get to Beacon?" This, arguably, was the most important question. Jin, from what he saw and figured, clearly wasn't like other people.

"One day, she and I walked to the beach, where we had a raft, and she gave a biiiiiig hug, and told me to go, so I went, and now I'm here!" She said in one, short breath, and Glynda, being the far more emotionally impacted one, couldn't help but weep. Though, at the end of the day, she still couldn't believe Jin said all of this without even frowning. Ozpin, on the other hand, heard enough. He was certain a small raft wasn't really the instrument that helped her get all the way to the Emerald Forest, but by now the image ran quite vividly in his mind.

"And where did you and your mother live, Jin?" With this, he took a small map of Remnant, laying it on the table. Jin looked, and after some time thinking finally pointed to a rather specific section of the beach around the shores of Menagerie, seemingly recognizing the area.

"She came here all the way from Menagerie?" Glynda asked perplexed, and Ozpin nodded, folding back the map.

"It would seem so." He silently confirmed, Jin staring at the two of them with large, curiosity-filled eyes.

"And do you think her mother..."

"Indeed, Glynda. There is no doubt in my mind that she perished." He cut her, looking at the giant one more time. "Though, from the way she behaves, I am not sure Jin herself is aware of that." He turned to her, the need to know the truth on his mind. "Jin... Do you miss your mother?"

"Yeah, but that's okay! She's fine!" her childish tone being the final nail in the coffin that was her naiveté and simple-minded nature.

"Glynda, please set an appointment for Jin to visit Dr. Topaz. I want her to be psychologically evaluated by him as soon as he is available."

"Right away Ozpin." Glynda got up, looking at Jin one more time, walking out of Ozpin's office. Jin, for now, stayed there with him, Ozpin giving her a friendly look.

"So, Jin... How is your time in Beacon so far?" He decided that while she was there, to try and find out how she sees the school life in his academy.

"It's fun! I have lots of friends!" She exclaimed, and Ozpin grinned, pleased to see she was having fun, at the very least.

"And your teammates? How are they with you? I hope Perci isn't giving you too much of a hard time." He asked, and in Jin's mind, the auras of her friends popped into question. Perci's large, peach colored aura was by far the biggest she had ever seen, though Leila's aura, with her eyes as large as melons, came close to looking as such. Hue's aura was rather normal sized in her mind, though every time she looked at her, Jin would only see a white shadow stretching the sky, even taller than herself. But of course, at the end of the day, they were all her friends, precious, pretty auras that danced around her like flickering flames. "Yeah! We're all friends!"

Ozpin, of course, knew the truth behind the mindset of the delinquent. The reports from Beacon's psychologist were quite clear on how she sees her teammate, her team in general, as well as her life in Beacon. Though he wished he could do more to help ease her doubts about her stay in his school, for now, this would have to do. The Council was quite clear about the ins and outs of the parole program for delinquents that Perci was a part of.

"That sounds wonderful. Well, regardless, I believe that you should be going back to your friends now, alright?" He asked her, and Jin got up, waving her arm like she always did.

"Okay! Byeeeee!" She walked out, stopping before the elevator door, as if magically expecting it to open up for her, though at the end of the day she just had no idea how it worked, forcing Ozpin to walk up to the button and press it for her. Jin got in, and as the doors closed, the old aura got smaller and smaller, as she was lowered to the ground floor, where Leila, Hue, and Perci, as well as team ACMN, were all waiting for her.

The first to talk was Perci, of all people, taking a sigh of relief. "Good. You're alive. At least now no one can blame me for doing anything..." She rolled her eyes, and Leila nodded.

"Regardless, it is good to see you back, Jin." Leila spoke, her words greeted with a loving hug, just like Jin's Mama gave her with she was little.

"Yeah! I had lots of fun today!" She called out, Ash moving her hands up to her ears.

"You really oughta work on your indoor voice..." She mentioned, Leila nodding in agreement.

"She is right, Jin. Could you please lower your voice?" Leila asked, and Jin nodded.

"Yaaay..." She spoke again, this time in a lowered, more hushed tone, as the group went off, back to their dorms.

* * *

The next day, the two teams, sans Jin, sat down at the arena's stands, in yet another combat lesson. After the incident the day before, Jin got a permanent leave from combat training, seeing as her condition would not allow her to fight other students, much to Perci's jealousy. Instead, she was given time to roam around the Emerald Forest, to run wild and have some fun, before being called to return.

"Next! Hue Luminous VS. Sky Lark!" Glynda called. Usually, she wouldn't pick the same student two days in a row, but considering Sky never got a proper spar she reinputted his name into the roulette.

"So, what's it like having a freak in your team, eh?" He taunted her as the two of them went down to the arena, Hue shaking her head.

"If you think petty insults such as these are going to give you the advantage, then you have already lost." She concluded swiftly, taking her katana and drawing it, looking at him sternly. "And to answer your question... Jin is a fascinating person."

"More like a dumb as dirt person..." He joked. "Though who can blame her when her brain falls to those huge tits?!" He asked, and the rest of his team hollered at them, Hue remaining as silent as ever.

"Begin!" Glynda called, and Hue, not wasting a single second, dashed at him, aiming her weapon straight to his abdomen, Sky blocking her with his axe just as easily. She changed her approach, having dealt with his kind before, jumping back, using his axe as a contra to launch herself further away, giving him the illusion of an open window.

"Gotcha!" He called, dashing at her direction, swinging his weapon powerfully, yet sluggishly in her direction, Hue being quick on her feet and dodging it with ease. This went on for several minutes, Hue not attacking him per se and Sky trying to hit her with at least one blow, failing each time. By the five minute mark, he was already panting. By the time ten minutes passed, he was already breathing heavily, having exhausted himself almost entirely.

"Come on!... Y-You're almost as annoying at the dust girl!..." He wheezed, and Hue, finally seeing an easy opening in his movements, closed in, her semblance conjuring a swirling stream of light in her hand, getting close and preparing for a strike.

"And you are just as simple minded." She uttered, raising her hand, the light she created from her palm striking him like a whiplash, searing his aura and burning him out quite easily. It knocked him down, Sky falling to his back, as his aura quickly depleted from the direct attack, directly to the red line, the sound of the horn signifying that the match was over.

"Y-You faunus bitch!" He called at her, angry and humiliated. "I'll get you for that one!"

Hue just stared at him, pondering how to reply. In truth, she had to deal with plenty like him, her siblings in Vacuo being a prime example. Although, when she truly thought about it, she started to wonder who she took the time to tire him out like she did. Attacking him periodically and wearing him out would have been far more efficient. But, at the end of the day, when she thought about it some more, the answer became quite clear.

Jin.

The girl had a unique mood around her, to say the least. To hate Jin, once you got to know her, became virtually impossible, and watching her wince in fear in the arena wasn't that pleasant of a sight, to say the least. Hue, in a rare instance, let a small grin make its way to her face. She looked down at the hurt Sky, slowly getting up and walking back to his team, all of them glaring knives at her though Hue couldn't give a damn about any of them and their opinions about herself or her team leader.

She walked back to the stands, sitting next to Leila, Perci, Ash and her team, watching the fights slowly unfold as she took out her small notebook, with all of her notes and her research, opening it and rereading some sections. Here and there, at least in the later pages, alongside the many pages dedicated to the moon and the mysteries behind it, new types of pages started to pop up. Pictures of Jin, notes about dust infusion, and so on filled minor sections of the tome, and while Hue refused to admit it outright, the fact that Jin was like she was managed to fascinate her mind to no end.

"So... That's some book you got there." Ash finally uttered, peeking over her shoulder. "Didn't know the moon could be so interestin' for a person."

"It is a marvelous wonder." Hue's tone started to pick up, always being in the mood to share her passion with someone. "The way it's cracked, the myths around it... I always wondered what made it into what it is today."

"So you decided to look into it yourself, eh?..." Ash sighed, grinning, and Undine, who was listening to them talk, looking at Hue just as curiously.

"Hey, that's pretty cool! So, like, what do you know about it so far?" She asked, and Hue opened up her tone, revealing the data she has accumulated.

"So far, I can confirm the lunar breaking was something that historically happened in more recent history, at least dating back to before the great war, though not too far off." Hue started, sharing whatever she knew. Undine and Ash listened carefully, and once she was done, closing her book, Ash gave her a silent clap.

"That's impressive for someone our age to know so much... Kinda makes ya wonder, though. How much DO we know about the world out there?..."

"Well... I know one thing for certain." Hue continued, looking at Ash, determined.

"I will uncover those truths. And nothing will stop me."


	11. Lost Cat

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright! Next chapter is up and ready, and so far, everything is awesome! I hope you all enjoy, and please, if you have anything to say, good or bad, I'd love to hear your voices in the reviews! Don't forget to Favorite, Follow and Review, and I'll see Y'all next chapter!

Ozpin was sitting in his office. Finally, the results of Jin's psychological evaluation came for him, and as he rifled through the report's papers, reading them thoroughly, he couldn't help but become even more fascinated at the giant called Jin.

At the end of the report laid a neatly made summary for him, made by Topaz himself. A severe case of Prosopagnosia, on top of aura sight, granted to her from birth thanks to her infusion, lead to Jin being completely reliant on her aura sight to recognize the people around her. She couldn't even remember names, as to her level, no two auras looked the same. To top it all off, her life in the forests of Menagerie rendered the girl semi feral, at least to a degree, making formal teaching even more difficult for her.

As he kept reading, seeing the mangled shards of her memory that Topaz managed to pilfer, he heard the elevator door open. Glynda stepped in, looking at Ozpin with her usual tone of strictness exemplified by the headmistress of Beacon, before sitting down one of the chairs, sighing, and taking a sip of water to calm her nerves.

"So..." She asked him, Ozpin raising his head to meet her own after a few seconds, taking a sip of his own mug of coffee. "I see you have the report on Jin."

"Indeed." He showed it to her, and Glynda went straight for the summary, eyes widening in shock as she read the list of conditions Jin suffered from. "Then is it really safe to keep her here? What do we even teach her here, if she cannot learn?"

"Saying she cannot learn here is a rather decisive claim, Glynda." He explained his thoughts on her for the moment. "Jin has the potential for great things, given the proper guidance. It is our duty here, at Beacon, to help her reach her fullest potential."

"Then what do you propose? So far, she never listens in any lesson, given she cannot learn in the traditional sense, and her combat lessons ended up being a free roaming time, though I assume she fights grimm when she sees them, considering the amount of ichor on her at times..." She pondered out loud, looking at Ozpin for any sort of idea he might have.

"Hmm..." He closed his eyes, thinking slowly. "I believe that she would need some personal tutoring if she is ever to elevate from her child-like mind."

"So, should I tutor her on utilizing her already innate instinct and develop it from there." Assuming the would be obvious, Glynda asked him to confirm, though Ozpin merely waved his head.

"That too, in time. For now, I believe Jin needs some more... Understanding, of the modern-day world. When she left my office the other day, she didn't even know how to use an elevator."

Glynda nodded in agreement. "I will get Doctor Oobleck on the case then. I believe he could teach her greatly. Regardless, Jin cannot be left to fend for herself. As she is now... I am afraid of what people will do to her out there."

"Agreed." Ozpin nodded, and Glynda got up, walking out of his office, and back to her usual business as the headmistress of Beacon. Ozpin leaned back in his recliner chair, trying to relax a bit, before the holodeck in his office rung up, the council of Vale appearing on screen...

* * *

The day began for Jin, like usual, with one of her friends trying to wake her up, though, by the force of it, she could already know who it was, as the peach colored aura grunted in anger at her again.

"Oh, come on!... How does the Nun fucking do this..."? She muttered to herself, shaking Jin even faster, as the giant finally opened her eyes. She looked as her friend groaned audibly again.

"Great. FINALLY, you wake up." She grunted, and Jin, seeing the anger radiate from her, lunged at the girl, giving her a morning hug.

"Moooorning!" Jin cheered, and Perci finally had enough, using whatever strength she could muster to get away from the massive girl, coming to fix her suit again, though realizing she was wearing the school uniform.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, alright shut up and listen." Perci addressed her, and Jin turned her head, paying full attention, or at least what Perci assumed was full attention, as guessing those things with Jin was virtually impossible. "Three of us, going to class. You stay here and DON'T move. Got it?"

"Yeah!" Jin cheered, coming to hug her again, though this time Perci quickly moved out of her way. After the combat session fiasco, adding to that the psychological analysis, Jin's leave from combat class was upgraded to a general leave from lessons, at least for the short period where Ozpin was to arrange a proper course for her.

"Good. Now, you two, I'm out." Perci went past the door, where a chore wheel was placed, with various tasks to do for each of the three fully functioning teammates, from taking out the trash, to cleaning the floor, to looking after Jin.

After Perci left the room, Leila and Hue, already dressed up and ready to go, each passed by Jin, Leila greeting her with a bow.

"Alright, we will be back in an hour, alright?" Leila asked her, and seeing Jin nod happily gave her all the confidence she needed, leaving and closing the door behind her. There was only one major flaw.

She forgot to lock the door.

It didn't take Jin, who saw auras pass by the door all the time, too long to only push it open and get out. Wearing her torn up school uniform, she started walking around the school, students usually keeping their distance from her, and soon enough, Jin was at the gates of Beacon, staring at the bright sun, and feeling the warmth hit her skin. She smiled widely, walking about and getting off the stone steps, to the grass. As her bare feet felt the soft touch of the fauna against her skin, she couldn't help but yawn, the day being as perfect as could be, laying down and beginning to feel drowsy. Before she could fall asleep, however, her eyes laid on a small, slimy friend with a shell, paving its way through the grass right in front of her.

Instantly, her feline ears perked up, and she kneeled before the snail, watching the small aura of the creature move about. Without anything to distract her, she gazed at it, eyes transfixed on it as it passed through Beacon's glass slowly. The moment it moved long enough for her to be out of her sights, she moved again, staying as close to it as she could, her curiosity piqued. After watching it for a few minutes, she heard something speed by above her and raised her head to see a flock of birds fly, heading in Vale's general direction. From there, Jin moved from animal to animal, enjoying each aura she saw, the translucent energies melding on touch, creating a grand dance that could only be described as the beauty of life itself.

She got up, walking after the birds now, having to run to match up their flying speed. Soon enough, she reached the cliff of Beacon, her instincts kicking in as she stopped right before falling down. She gazed forward, watching the city of Vale a good distance away. There, upon looking closer, she saw even more auras! So many of them, walking as one, the entire city brimming with life and energy to her, making Jin as excited to get down there as she could ever be.

She searched for a while, finally finding a way to get down from the cliff, a narrow path leading her to where her heart yearned to go. Every new step outside was exciting for her, seeing the wildlife, enjoying the cold morning air hit her face, her hair, long as it was, waving about in the wind, causing her to grab it with her hands until the breeze was weak enough.

Finally getting down below the cliff, Jin took a deep breath, having gotten closer to all the pretty auras she saw earlier. She searched about, the path down giving way to a clearing, as well as a road, which Jin began to walk, singing to herself and having an incredible time. She had no scroll, no way to communicate back, though at the time none of it bothered her. She was just happy to be free, like the birds in the sky, walking down to the main city of the kingdom of Vale, to say hello to every potential friend that she could meet.

* * *

When the rest of team JPLL came back to their dorm, only to see it empty, Leila straight up went into a full panic.

"Jin?! Jin, where are you?!" She searched the small dorm room, bathroom, shower, and weapon maintenance corner included, though no signs of their team leader were in sight, or at all. The door was open, the windows locked, and Jin was not there.

"She's gone, apparently." Perci shrugged, jumping onto her bed. Leila went up to her, trying to suppress her screaming.

"And where do you think she could have gone. Perci?! Who knows what she might have gotten herself into while out there!"

"And? Not exactly my deal now, is it?" Perci turned in bed, though Hue coughing and pointing to the chore wheel hinted otherwise, as Perci's name was straight where Jin duty was.

"I believe it actually is your responsibility, Perci." She commented, Perci gruffing. "Now, it is time for us to go and find her." She turned back out of the dorm, Leila following suit, and Perci, taking another minute, finally rolled her eyes and got up.

"Fine, fine! Whatever!" She ran after them, as the group started to search Beacon's every nook and cranny for Jin. About an hour later, they ran into Melody, who couldn't help but get curious at the looks on Leila's face.

"D-Did anything happen?" She asked the trio, Perci being the only one with the relaxed attitude for these sorts of situations to answer her proper.

" _Yup_. Giant dust girl gon' missin'. Guess we have to comb Beacon 'cause SOMEONE forgot to lock the door." She called at Leila's direction, the nun shaking her head.

"And we can worry about that AFTER we find her!" Leila ran up to Melody, panting a bit. "Melody, could I please ask for your help? Any extra pair of eyes looking is a blessing at this point."

Melody nodded once, pulling out her scroll, and after a few taps returned her attention to the team. "Yeah, just told Ash and the rest of my team. They all agreed to help you look."

"Excellent." Hue finally muttered, pointing at a trail of dirty footprints scattered across the floor. "Because we will need them if my assumptions are correct."

It took them a few minutes to get outside, and realize just how much of trouble they are in. Jin's footsteps, as one would guess, vanished after getting off the stone steps, as her location now was just as a mystery as it could get, though one could infer where she was headed, considering her particular way of seeing the world.

"So, where do you think she went?" Undine asked the combined group, Ash pointing to the central city.

"She sees auras, right? Wouldn't it make sense if she went to where the auras ARE?" The rest of the group looked at her, slightly in shock, Perci waving her head.

"Welp, good luck guys, and happy hunting!" She came to turn back and walk into the school, only to be stopped by Leila's hand on her shoulder.

"And just where do you think YOU'RE going?" She asked, and Perci bent down, raising the sleeve of her pants and showing the group her tracker device, keeping her bound to Beacon.

"Now THERE if I wanna stay out of that shithole the VPD call solitary." She quickly concluded, showing no real hint of caring. "Now, if you'll excuse me~" She grinned, walking towards the entrance, though Ozpin and Glynda showing up soon after put quite the damper on her plans. "Aw come on..." She rolled her eyes in disappointment.

"Hmm... I believe Jin has gone missing. Correct?" Glynda explained. "She saw her while reviewing the security cameras."

The rest of the group nodded, and all Glynda could do is sigh. "...She went towards Vale, didn't she?"

"Would seem so." Ash nodded back, Glynda pinching the bridge of her nose.

"Alright, we'll send a small team to help look for her. You children should get back to class." She came to dismiss them, though Hue coughed her throat at the last moment.

"With all due respect, Ms, Goodwitch... I believe we should be on the lookout for her, just as much." She offered. "Jin already knows us, and would be more likely to follow our auras, should she see them in her line of sight. Beyond that, she _is_ our team leader, and as members of team JPLL, it is our duty to look after her."

Both Glynda and Ozpin exchanged looks. Ozpin nodded, and Glynda returned her attention to the group.

"...Very well. Please, head out as soon as you can. I will call a bullhead to take you directly to Vale." She ordered, and the two teams braced themselves.

"...And that would be great and all, but you know..." Perci cleared her throat, pointing to her ankle. "...That."

"Do not worry about that. Ms. Valiére." Ozpin intervened, pulling out his scroll and making a few taps on it, as the device latched around Perci's leg made a beeping noise. "I've temporarily extended the range you can be from Beacon to include the city itself. Do be careful, though, not to wander too far off." He debriefed her, Perci sighing in response.

"Ah man... Fine. Let's just get this over with..." Perci couldn't help but slump over a bit, the group walking towards the landing pad, where a small bullhead was already waiting for them to head out. Each climbed in, as the bullhead took off, raising into the air and heading to Vale's main city, where Jin presumably was.

They exchanged looks inside of it, some with concern, some with worry, though the general feel was that Jin needed their help. Most of the other students seemed to stay away from her somewhat, only making her situation, despite her obliviousness to it, all the more problematic.

"Do you think she's still okay..." Undine asked, Ash giving her a silent nod.

"Aye. Don't worry about it Undine. I'm sure we'll find her in once piece. Hell, knowing Jin she'll try and hug all of us like nothing happened." She then turned her head to Perci, her expression growing an aura of seriousness to it. "How much do you know Vale's streets?"

Perci shrugged. "Good enough to survive in them on a day to day basis."

"Alright then."Ash looked out the window, seeing as they were already landing. "Cause we'll need it..."

* * *

"Jiiiin!" Leila called out, still on the lookout for her team leader. They've been searching for her for about thirty minutes at this point, with still not as much as a clue as to her whereabouts. So far, at least, they could confirm she wasn't in the residential district, and the archeological, upper class and commercial districts were being scoured by all seven of them.

Here and there, they heard someone speak about a giant girl walking about, adding some rather rude or offensive remarks about her infused state, especially when it came to the elderly that they asked. At the very least, Jin was unique enough to stick out like a sore thumb, meaning asking for a giant, dust infused girl in a torn Beacon outfit was enough.

Leila's scroll rung again. She pulled it out, failing to swipe her own password, and after fiddling with it a bit, she finally managed to answer, a group call with the rest of them, split into three groups, popped up on the screen.

"So, anything new from the commercial district?" Ash, who currently led the investigation, asked her.

"I am afraid not..." Leila turned her head to Perci, who was standing about three meters away from her.

"We ain't got shit!" She confirmed, Ash frowning upon the bad news.

"And from the archeological district?" She asked Undine and Copper, who both shook their head.

"Negative. Jin was never here." Copper spoke, clearing another place in Ash's mind to look in.

"And the upper-class district showed no signs of her either. Which means..." She came to conclude, though Hue cut in before she could finish her sentence, standing by Leila.

"She must be in the industrial district then." She concluded, Ash nodding.

"Alright. Undine, Copper, you join JPLL in the industrial district as soon as you are able. Melody and I will make our way there too."

"Affirmative." Copper nodded.

"We'll see you there!" Undine called after her, the two of them hanging up and walking towards their last destination.

"Likewise," Leila tried to hang up, and it took Hue pointing to her where the end call button was to release the conversation. "Shall we?"

"We shall." Hue nodded and started to walk. "We could count on you, right Perci?"

"Yeah... I mean I DID grow up there, for the most part. If there's any place I know like the back of my hand... it's there."

"Great," Leila spoke as the three of them made their way. "I hope the Lord protects her from what lays in there..."

Fifteen minutes later, the group finally got the entrance to the district, joined by Copper and Undine, coming from another direction. Banding together, they started to search, Perci's knowledge of the area proving quite fruitful. Soon enough, they started hearing that the girl passed here, muttering something about auras and the ocean, the team swiftly realizing where Jin was headed, making haste towards the industrial district's border with the ocean.

On their way, the closer they got to the waterfront, the shadier the characters around them became. It was no surprise that the industrial district held within it several notorious individuals, and usually normal citizens wouldn't get near it. The menacing or lecherous glares from the people around them only made Leila and Undine shudder, though so far, none of them seemed to dare get any closer to the group, Perci taking the lead.

"Ah, the good ol' industrial district," Perci muttered to herself. "Man, good to know even after being arrested, people still remember me."

"Remember you for... What?" Leila, slightly hesitating, asked her regardless.

"Well..." Perci looked at her, smirking. "Let's just say I had a certain reputation around here. I don't think you wanna know the details, Nun." She cackled, Leila nervously nodding and looking away, trying to look for their team leader.

"Found anything?" They heard a voice come from around one of the storage units they passed, Ash and Melody finally catching up with them. "Sorry we took so long, we had some, uh..." She pointed to the back, where a few drunken men were laying on the floor, passed out. "Issues to deal with."

"Nothing, unfortunately." Leila sighed. "In the name of the Lord, where could she possibly be?" She uttered out loud, the rest giving an audible, collective sigh.

"Well, she has to be close. Those "fine" gentlemen back there were kind enough to tell me they saw someone matching her description walking by here earlier." The small bit of good news managed to put hope on Leila's face, walking further into the district.

"Oi... Get back here, you, dumb bitch!" They heard a gruff, masculine voice call out, with Jin running towards them, tears in her eyes. The man held a shiv in hand and was chasing her, though now that the seven of them were in her line if sight, Jin made a direct B-line to her friends, getting behind them, shaking in place.

"P-Please... F-Fighting is bad..." She muttered over and over, Cleary in shock from what seemed like attempted mugging. Before he could get any further, the scoundrel was stopped dead in his tracks by the rest of them, Perci walking up to him with a meandering glare. The moment he recognized her, despite the outfit, he stepped back.

"T-The Kingpin!" He uttered. "W-What the hell are YOU doing here?! I thought you were-"

"In jail? Yeah, I was... But that doesn't matter NOW, does it?" Perci got closer, completely disregarding the knife in his possession. "No... I think we both know what matters now." Her lips curled, a mad grin forming, exposing slightly yellow teeth. "Now. I believe you had some... Business, in that warehouse over there, _right?_ " Though asking, it was clear she wasn't really inquiring on his schedule.

"Y-Yes! You're right! Hahaha!" He faked a nervous laugh, running off to do whatever in the warehouse she pointed at. Perci turned to the rest of them, seeing Jin safe and sound, and Leila looking at her with a hint of admiration.

"Perci... Thank you..." Leila spoke honestly, gratitude clear in her voice. Perci merely shrugged.

"...Whatever, alright? It was just more convenient so that Ozpin won't get suspicious of me or something!" Despite her words, none of them expressed any belief in what she said. "D-Don't fuck with me! Bah, let's just get back to Beacon..." She couldn't help but snarl at them, though at this point the two teams just regarded her threats with a nod.

"Indeed. Just let me report to Ozpin Glynda first." Leila pulled out her scroll, trying to find where the contacts were. "Blasted..." She tried her best, but clearly, the complexity of modern day appliances was just too much for the poor nun to grasp, and it took Copper coming over to assist her to get the rescue mission done with.

"Allow me, please." She cooed, taking the scroll from Leila's hands, and quickly inputting the correct number inside, tapping the call button and taking the call.

"...Yes. Copper. Jin is with us. Alright." She concluded the call shortly after, handing Leila's scroll back to her. "Glynda expects us to return right away. Let us not waste any time."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah... No need to tell ME twice." Perci was already walking towards Beacon, the rest of the team following her shortly after. Though she tried to hide it as best she can, it was clear on her face Perci had some thinking to do. In truth, she could have just as easily beaten him, or get someone to break the tracker and earn her freedom back. But, despite the option standing right in front of her face, something else stuck in her mind just as much.

The people around her.

She thought about it for a minute. It was beyond just Melody or anything of the sort. Yes, sometimes, she couldn't stand the nun's bullshit, and she WISHED for the day she could get out of that school. But other days... She actually found herself enjoying her time.

Regardless, what was done was done. Right now, they needed to head back, though all the way there, Perci couldn't help but look at Jin, walking with them, and feel a hint of care for the gentle giant she was supposed to look after.

* * *

Glynda, just as she told them, was waiting for the team to return, standing at the courtyard of Beacon. All the way there, Jin was walking behind them this time Leila holding her hand to make sure she wouldn't get away, or wander off on her own like the last time. If there was one thing she and the rest of the team realized, is that Jin can't be left alone like that for too long.

"Ah, you've returned. Good job on the small mission." Glynda congratulated them, making Perci smirk a bit.

"it this was a mission... How much do-"

"No. You do not get paid for helping your teammates find your team leader." Glynda shot her down, Perci rolling her eyes and crossing her arms.

"Yeah... Figured as such. Welp, guess I'll take a shower or some shit. See y'all cucks later." She waltzed off, heading inside, while Ash and her party dismissed as well, each heading to do her own thing.

After that, Hue and Leila remained with Glynda a bit more, explaining to her what had transpired in Vale with Jin.

"I see." Glynda summarized to herself, looking at the two students. "Thank you for the report. I will pass it on to Ozpin, and we will try and help Jin learn better about the Vale and the people here. I cannot tell you much, but suffice to say she didn't grow around other people."

"Very well then." Leila bowed to her. "May the Lord bless the rest of your day, Ms. Goodwitch." Hue nodded after that, and the two of them heading back to the dorm, taking Jin with them.

When they got back, the noticed something in the room layout changed a bit. Perci cleared out most of her stuff from what was meant to be Jin's bed, stashing them away in a few of the drawers on her nightstand. After seeing them back, she gave Leila and Hue a stern look.

"Not. A fucking. Word. I just wanted to clean up a bit." She muttered, rolling in her bed and covering herself in her blanket. All Leila could do was smile gently, as she prepared herself for another peaceful night in Beacon.


	12. A Trip To The Doctor

The day started for team JPLL and ACMN as usual as many before it did. Classes would come and go, and though the biggest change was Jin being sent to private tutoring every once in a while, for the most part, the same old routines became slowly engraved in the teams' minds.

Yet another bombastic lesson with Port, in which he told them one of his favorite stories, passed, Perci listening in with glee. Just as the group was about to head out to their break, they heard the familiar sound of footsteps approach them, Glynda walking and meeting the team right at the doorway.

She started with a simple greeting. "Hello, children. May I ask Ms. Jin to follow me please?" The rest of them raised an eyebrow. This was not the first time Jin was called out in between lessons for something, and so far, trying to ask her what they were taking her away for proved quite the challenge, if it was even possible. Asking her directly, of course, wouldn't work, and every insane idea the team came up with to try and get her to spill the beans ended up in the same way: Each of them more perplexed and confused than before asking her.

However, despite that, the bit they _did_ manage to infer was as much as valuable as they could get: All they knew from what Jin could tell them was a very white space, and some auras being very nice to her. At first, they could easily figure out it was a medical check of sorts, as the area she mentions looks strikingly similar to Beacon's medical ward. This, of course, only raised MORE questions for the group.

"Okay!" Jin called out happily, walking behind Glynda. Of course, none of them raised any objections, as the general assumptions were that the headmistress wouldn't do anything that could potentially harm her. However, seeing as this was becoming more and more frequent, suspicions were at an all time high.

The first to react was Perci, gruffing and crossing her arms. "Man... What the crap are they even doing with her anyway?" In honesty, she was just curious at this point, if nothing else. Jin's actual safety wasn't her highest priority, but while Perci would never admit it, some part of her was genuinely concerned for the lovable dust giant.

"That is a mystery to be solved." Leila looked at her, just as curious. "I mean, I do understand she needs some special tutoring, but those lessons replace her combat class for the most part. Being called during recess... I have no idea what they would need her otherwise."

Of course, the moment they mentioned the word mystery, Ash's ears perked in curiosity. "So... Got some info you wanna fish out?" She asked, eager to show off her skills. "Then I guess you'll need a... Private detective?" Ash was actually quite proud of her skills in the field. Having a detective for a father, as well as being under his wing for quite some time, left her with plenty of experience when it came to the delicate art of sleuthing.

Looking at her determination and cockiness, the rest of team JPLL only exchanged a quick glance before nodding and turning to her. "Are you sure you can find it out?" Leila asked her. "We'd great appreciate it, of course, but I don't want you getting yourself into trouble by trespassing into areas where students shouldn't be."

"Man, who the fuck heard of a P.I who's completely clean?" Perci rolled her eyes, turning to Ash. "Yo. How much experience you got in this, anyway?"

"Enough," Ash replied in a single word. She smirked, her usual laid back attitude now being laced with hints of confidence and self-assurance. She knew _exactly_  what she was doing, and she knew how to do it well. "Enough experience to always..." She pulled out a part of her trench coat, showing that underneath it, she had plenty of gear one who wants to know things would need. From lock picks, to magnifying glasses, to pincers, Ash had nearly all of the gizmos needed for tasks such as these one could imagine.

Perci and Hue stared in admiration, for two entirely different reasons, and though Leila did take a quick look, she turned her head just as fast. "No. I cannot support such lawless actions."

Now it was Ash's turn to roll her eyes. "So what, you'll just let it slide and pretend like you're not curious?" She asked as the rest of her teammates gave her a similar look.

"Yeah Nun, I mean seriously? From the looks of it, she's the ACTUAL real deal. I mean hell, now I just wanna see if she has what it takes to get the job done if nothing else." Perci smirked, turning her head to the gray-haired teen. "So, Detective. You REALLY think you can outsmart Ozpin and Glynda?"

Before Ash could answer, Melody chimed in. "Yeah, she sure is! Ash managed to find the creep that's been stealing underwear from the girl's lockers! It's such a relief now..." She sighed, Perci raising an eyebrow.

"Wait, they finally caught the asshole?" She scoffed the ground a bit. "Shit! I wanted to have that one! Was about to break his legs, too..."

Ash shrugged, raising her shoulders a bit. "Ehhh... Those were easy prey. I don't think I can fool that headmaster for very long, but I'm pretty sure I can dig out what Y'all are curious about."

Leila stuck to her ground, huffing. "Well, I must condone those actions then. I am sorry Ash, but if this is what you choose to do, then I will have faith in the Lord that he is keeping Jin safe instead. Good day." She started walking away, her steps only accompanied by Perci's shouts and taunts.

"Chicken!" She kept calling a few more, but as she saw the Nun wasn't responding to her whatsoever, she gave up the act, instead turning her attention to Ash. "Well anyway... So, I think we got everything set, right? When can we expect results?"

Ash looked around, just to make sure no one was eavesdropping on their conversation. A habit she picked up from her younger days, at least when it involved more professional topics. "Honestly? No freakin' clue. Hopefully? About a week or so. I'll keep ya posted while I'm on the case, K?"

"Hmm." Perci hummed in agreement, Hue nodding simultaneously. "Alright then. For future reference, though, this conversation never happened. Got it?" She addressed the rest of the girls present, each of them nodding.

"Took the words right out of my mouth," Ash smirked. "You know your way around the sleuthing business too?" She was quite surprised, at the very least, to see how much Perci was aware of those types of practices. While she could only guess the reason she was even on parole in the first place, seeing her think on the level her father taught her to think in always managed to impress her, gaining some semblance of respect for the delinquent.

Perci could only cackle a bit. Her time on the streets made having to avoid the law quite the usual occurrence, and apparently enough, she had to deal with her fair share of private detectives as well. "I guess you can say that." She summarized, the group splitting apart, each going in a different direction, leaving Ash to sneak away and do her work.

* * *

First thing Ash did was learn the ins and outs of the medical ward. Acting sprained during combat practice and being hurried in was easy enough, and eventually, after a day or two of sneaking about, she could map the entire wing without too much of an issue. After that, came the subject of learning the physicians' schedules, which, much like the building itself, weren't too difficult to decipher. Once again, a clear outline of each doctor's locations throughout the day laid in front of her, giving Ash all the information she would need to learn the truth behind Jin's visits to the doctor.

Gradually, in between her own tours of the ward, she managed to sneak out updates on her progress to Perci and Hue, both of them monitoring her and waiting anxiously for the next bits of news she'd bring. As the first week passed, nothing came up, and Ash redoubled her efforts, sneaking past the cameras and doctors patrolling the area to try and find anything.

Until, at last, the first lead came to her in the form of a conversation between two of the doctors.

She heard the exchange happen behind a closed and locked room, pressing her ear to the wooden frame to listen as carefully as she could. In there, two voice, male and female, were discussing their findings on the enigma students, which, considering Jin's nature and the topics in the discussion, made deducing the identity of the subject in question a walk in the park.

"So... She comes in tomorrow, correct?" Asked the male. Ash only wished she could have gotten there earlier, though having some news was better than having no news.

The female took a few seconds to respond, the sound of rifling paper audible near the two of them. "...Yes. She does. I hope this time she'd cooperate more... She already managed to ruin some pretty expensive equipment with her behavior..."

"I guess it was unavoidable. After Glynda taught her what a button does..." Hints of fear popped up in the doctor's voice, and Ash couldn't help but suppress a snicker, thinking of Jin pressing a button repeatedly until she managed to make whatever equipment they were talking about break. The brutalizing of medical equipment regardless, the conversation quickly moved on, subject changing to a more concrete one.

"At the very least..." Another pause was heard in the room. "We managed to get this, huh?" Obviously, some object that Ash couldn't see. Raising her head up to catch a glimpse through the glass on the door would have been far too risky, and so, she was forced to try and use her brains to assert what the object in question one.

"I never imagined she'd react to violently to being stung... But at the very least, with her blood, we should have a better understanding of the state of her infusion." The answer to her question, as one would expect, came shortly after. Ash almost gasped, covering her mouth at the last second, though some of her voice still managed to come out. The voices inside of the room hushed at the same time.

"...Did you hear that?" The female spoke, getting no audible response. Ash closed her eyes. She didn't have enough time. Her semblance, as passive as it was, kicked into action, as her sixth sense, or her Gut, amplified through the powers that were her special trait, allowed her to easily see when the door was about to open, and in which direction they would look at first. If there was something certain in Ash's life, is that she could listen to her gut.

Thoughts and simple calculations popped into her mind. 'Alright... Now!' Just as she imagined it happening, the door swung open, a female with dark hair and a lab coat peering out. She first turned to the right, then to the left, giving Ash just enough time to hide behind the door, and quickly duck low enough to make sure she was still hidden and out of sight.

The male approached, looking out briefly. While she couldn't see him doing that as clearly as she could the woman, at this point, she was safe. "...Saw anything?" He asked her, and the female waved her head.

"...Nothing. I guess I just imagined it." The door closed again, and the sound of a lock being tightened meant that Ash could safely move about again, though at this point she didn't want to take another risk of getting caught. Taunting fate once was fine, but twice? Her gut told her to get out of there, and listening to it as she always did, Ash quickly left the wing. Getting to the main corridor where she no longer had to hide, pretending to leave, She walked off, heading to the dorm of team JPLL, while calling her own team on the way.

* * *

"They're taking her blood?"

Hue asked her, perplexed. "I wonder... What could there be in her blood that would require dragging her to the medical ward so many times?..." She asked out loud, the rest of her friends waving their head.

"Oh wait, I got it:" Perci cleared her throat, standing up. "Clones!"

The rest of them just paused, turning their head towards her, Ash being the first to actually find the words to speak up. "...Excuse me?"

"You heard me." Perci came to explain, sitting down again and getting the attention of the rest of the team. "They're using her blood to make a clone army! I'm calling it now it's totally clones." She nodded to her own crazy ideas as if she was right in every part of that ludicrous assumptions.

It took several minutes of awkward silence for someone, Hue in particular, to speak up. "...You're serious."

"Fuck yes I'm serious! I mean think about it, Ozpin is a weird, cryptic fuck in the first place. Hell, I bet you he takes severed limbs of students who lost them while in Beacon to make clones out of them or something!" She exclaimed, her crackpot conspiracy theory knowing no bounds. "Either that or Atlas. Actually now that I think about it yeah it's totally Atlas."

Another wave of awkward silence later, and Ash simply shook her head, resuming revealing what she could find out. Leila, as they expected, wanted none of it, sitting at the edge of the room, and saying nothing, though her peeking every once in a while was a clear sign she was interested, to a degree. "So anyway... Yeah. They managed to take some of Jin's blood, and so far she managed to learn what buttons do."

"Bout damn time. I hate having to open shit for her..." Perci rolled her eyes. "But that's not the point... You said she has another physical tomorrow, right? I HOPE you're not gonna let the opportunity slide..." She muttered, and Ash nodded in response. In fact, she already had the whole plan formulated, from faking a sprain again earlier that day, being there on time before Jin arrives, and shadowing her until she can determine what she was doing there.

There was, however, one last part to her plan. One aspect that was pivotal to ensure her success. "There's one last thing I need." She turned to Perci, coughing a bit. "I need you to drain my aura before I go in there."

Perci expression twisted a bit in surprise. "Wait what?" Out of all the things that Ash could have asked for, being purposely drained was the last thing Perci expected, not that she complained, of course.

Ash continued to explain her thought process. "Jin sees auras. Thus, she would spot me right away, and knowing her..." Ash looked over at the giant, who was completely distracted playing with her chess piece, moving it around in the air and smiling cheerfully as ever. "She probably won't keep her mouth shut about any of this. Thus, the best way to ensure not being detected would be to have as little as aura as possible, so that Jin wouldn't be able to see me." She then glanced at Copper's general direction. "Either that or we could have Copper shadow her. I still have no idea why Jin won't pay attention to you... I mean, there's no reason she won't be able to see your aura, right?" She asked.

The short, bronze-haired girl nodded. "Indeed. However, I will admit that my aura generation is not as high as my peers. Ergo, it is entirely possible that Jin would not pay as much attention to me when in the presence of other auras."

"I see." Ash closed her eyes, pondering. "Well, being invisible to her notwithstanding, I think I'll be the one to take on the mission. I've already done all of the groundwork for it, and I don't want you taking the risk of being spotted by anyone else." She made her decision. So far, Ash proved herself, despite her chilled and relaxed attitude, to be quite the competent leader, easily reading the situation, her semblance making it even easier during combat to get the general feel for her opponent's actions.

"Understood." Copper nodded once, and the group looked at each other one last time before calling it a night, realizing how close they grew together over those past couple of weeks in their first semester. And while Jin was nowhere near to being anything like a leader, her natural cheerfulness and positive outlook on the world still managed to affect those around her, uniting those she was around in a different way, to the usual role a team leader would fill.

After that, the meeting came to a close. Ash and her team got up, wishing JPLL a good night, walking out to the hallway, their dorm stationed right next to Jin and her friends, getting inside and preparing for the night. As each of them took turns brushing her teeth and getting ready to sleep, Ash picked up her scroll, typing a short summary of the meeting, including Perci's very odd sounding theory about the inner workings of the Atlesian military.

As she was busy typing, Melody, who had her bed next to her partner's, couldn't help but look over her shoulder, noticing what she was writing down. "...You're not seriously putting that in, right?" She asked innocently. "I mean... Come on. Atlas using severed limbs to make clones? How ridicules is that?"

However, to her surprise, the response from Ash was actually rather toned down and thought out. "You never know what's out there, Melody. Perci may be a crazy bitch at times, but knowing her type, and including the shit I've seen myself... Who knows, she might just be right. Not saying she IS, of course. Just... Putting it later for future looking into." In truth, she never expected to find anything. While digging up information about a local thug was a piece of cake, penetrating and extracting data from the Atlesian Military's records and servers would be next to impossible without a person on the inside, or an expert hacker helping her out. Regardless, it was a habit she picked up from her father, like many others.

She never knew when information would come in handy. She only knew her gut told her it would.

* * *

The day after, so far, the plan went without a hitch. After the first lesson, being combat lesson. Ash let her opponent hit her, playing clumsy, and getting hit just hard enough to warrant being sent to see a medic, Perci passing by her just before someone could take her away and draining the remains of her aura, keeping her completely empty. A few lessons after, just as Ash's information pointed out, Jin was asked to come with Glynda to the medical ward again, where she, of course, followed willingly, the fresh promise of candy still in her mind since the last time.

As Jin walked to the ward, she was tailed by Copper, keeping an eye on her at least until she got inside. From there, she quickly sent a message to Ash, who got out of her bed, still limping a bit from having no aura to heal her, getting out of the room and sneaking about, quickly catching sight of the jolly giant, seeing her enter a room across the hall. About ten minutes later, and some expert rolling skills which Ash was quite proud of, she had full access to the sounds from inside the room, planting her ear as tight to the door as she could, hearing one of the doctors from yesterday, the female one, greet the girl.

"Hello, Jin. Please, take a seat." Her voice was much warmer then Ash recalled her from the day before. Then again, dealing with someone like Jin _would_ require some level of empathy for her condition.

"Okay!" Jin sat down, and from there, all Ash could hear was just standard, boring small talk between patient and doctor, though this time she seemed to focus on Jin's home in particular.

After a few minutes of standard talking, with nothing notable coming to mind, she heard a question that actually made Ash get curious about the subject. "Alright Jin, I wanted to ask you: Do you remember anything about your Mama? Her name, or what she looked like?" Obviously, expecting Jin to recall her mother's face was an impossibility. However... A name would be important, and Ash redoubled her focus, hoping to hear some groundbreaking information about JPLL's team leader.

"She was the best Mama ever! And she played a lot with me, and..." Alas, the only answer out of Jin's mouth was her usual, inane rambling, recalling childhood memories, making Ash almost sigh in defeat. Toning down her expectations, she closed her eyes, hearing the faint brushes of a pencil on a piece of paper. "Ooh! You write just like Mama!" Jin exclaimed, and Ash, for the first time, heard an audible gasp from the older woman.

Thoughts ran through her head wildly and uncontrolled. The identity of Jin's mother just got one step closer to being solved. "I... What? Jin, what do you mean?" She heard the female doctor ask her, her voice filled with a rush of adrenaline, the type someone like her would get she finding a new clue in a case. She knew the feeling quite well, and just like the researcher, listened as hard as she could.

"Yeah! Every morning, Mama would look at my dust, and then write it!" Her happy tones, while being a joy to listen to, carried some heavy truth with them, which Ash took a second to analyze. If her mother was checking on her... It meant that she wasn't sure herself how long Jin would live. Otherwise, she wouldn't bother checking it.

The voice of the researcher picked up again. Ash cut her line of thought to listen in. "I see..." She heard another pause, then the sound of Jin giggling a bit at something. "Regardless... It seems that your infusion really doesn't spread. That's incredible..." Her voice was astonished. "By any degree, you should have died in your mother's womb... A mutation, perhaps?" She heard the doctor theorize, several ideas coming into the air, from the mutation to natural resistance, and so on. Noting each of them mentally, as any good detective would, Ash heard her conclude, her guts telling her to get out of there as soon as she could. "Anyway... I think that would be all for now, Jin. It was nice seeing you agai- Hrk!"

As she imagined the scientist being hugged remorselessly by Jin, Ash couldn't help but snicker, making her way back to the room she was put in when she got there. Once she finally made her way back, she climbed back to the bed, taking out her scroll, compiling notes. Watching Hue do something similar with her moon research gave Ash a few new ideas, and soon enough, her digital recording was complete, every bit of the conversation written down, to be shown to the rest of them.

* * *

At last, the day of the big reveal came. Ash gathered all of her friends, at least from the two teams, loading her notes on a tablet and showing them the results.

"So... She was just taken for an ordinary physical?" Undine couldn't help but sound a tad disappointed. She had already imagined some epic mystery, with awesome powers and amazing fights to be had with Beacon, though at the end of the day, the realistic answer was just as good.

Ash nodded and continued her explanation. "Close... But not exactly. From what I could gather, they are heavily interested in the reason Jin doesn't just die from her infusion outright. I've heard several theories, though if you ask me, I think that she just might be a very lucky soul." She explained, the rest of them looking at her for a brief moment, before returning to the group meeting.

"And? If that is all, then was it really needed, doing all of this sneaking around?" At this point, even Leila found the temptation to hear what Ash found out hard. After all, it was done with, and while she found the actions themselves distasteful, she knew that this was it, and thus, excused herself into listening to the conversation that was happening regardless.

Ash looked at the nun, waving her head lightly. "If we just asked Glynda, we wouldn't know HALF of what we know now. We know that they have some of her blood."

"Totally clones," Perci added, Ash shushing her with a finger.

"We know that her mother was either a scientist or a researcher of some sort, and was from Menagerie." She elaborated. Considering all the clues, this was the most likely explanation, and on top of it, her gut told her it was right, although this wasn't part of her semblance. She was just sure of her theory. "And to top it all of..." She gave one more look at the resilient dust infused kitten. "We know that that the fact that she's alive isn't something obvious."

Leila's face twisted in disagreement. "Excuse me, but I have to disagree. The Lord doesn't make life to simply take it away at birth for no reason. Jin is here because the Lord MEANT for her to be here."

Perci looked at her with scorn in her eyes. "Keep your religious bullshit for yourself, eh Nun? This is FINALLY gettin' interestin'. Ain't no way I'm lettin' ya ruin this one for me." The only response Perci got was Leila turning her head, and turning away from the teams, going back to her bed. "Anyway detective..." Perci resumed. "So... What does any of that even mean?"

"Why, isn't it obvious?" Ash grinned, Jin staring at them and smiling widely.

"It means that whatever Jin is... It goes _far_ deeper than she lets on."


	13. Red Blooms

"God, everything is so... Red."

Perci couldn't help but mutter her thoughts out loud, as their team, amongst several more, were led by Glynda deeper into the forest of Foreverfall, the red trees covering all the eye could see. At least from what she understood, Peach asked Glynda to make sure they all get some sap or some bullshit for her stupid biology class, though at that point Perci just saw it for what it was: Just more work that the teachers should be doing, being forced in the students.

"Man... Fucking Peach. Makin' US go get her shit." She pouted, looking at the red sap trees with discontent, though for now, all she could see on the faces of her so called friends were much more pleasant expressions.

Leila, noticing her temper tantrum, turned around, looking at her with a hint of disappointment. At this point she expected her partner to have wisened up a bit, and it was unfortunate to hear her usual dribble and complaints all the way there. "Come now, Perci. Helping the teachers as best we can _is_ part of our responsibilities as students here. After all, we are in Beacon to _learn_. Not make jokes and slouch around all day."

Perci sighed, rolling her eyes once. "Man... Some days, I swear the ruler up your ass is even higher up then Glynda's..." She waved her head, and Leila, not intending to start another scuffle with her partner, simply turned her head away, paying more attention to the scenery. "But you do have to admit. It IS nice to be out here. The color is quite pleasant, for a change of pace compared to other forests in the area."

Jin, listening in on the conversation, jumped it. "Yeah! It's pretty here!" The smell of sap and the color being so vibrant made her want to go wild and just run around, though Glynda already told her in advance to stay put, and not get lost. Hue was walking alongside her, holding her hand, having drawn the short straw for looking after Jin on this particular mission.

"I do have to admit, the color difference between the Emerald Forest and here is quite striking." The faunus added, feeling some branches from the trees touch her horns as she walked, forcing her to duck every once in a while to get past some of the fauna in the area. "I do wonder what Professor Peach would need the sap for..." She mentioned, and before Perci could come up with one of her crazy conspiracy theories, Hue gave her a stern look, Leila joining in. "And no, Perci. Peach isn't using the sap to make some superpower serum or some other sort of nonsense."

Perci gave them only the briefest of gazes, before turning her head the other way and stepping forward to get away from the group. "Fuckin' fuck..." She muttered to herself, under her breath, wanting to get away from the bullshit for now. "Fuckin' party poopers ruinin' my fun..."

As she walked away, Leila could only sigh. "I wish we could do something to help her grow out of this... It is unbecoming for a Beacon student to be so selfish."

She felt a hand touch her shoulder, looking back and seeing Ash wave her head slowly. "Meh, don't worry about it." She lifted her head up, watching Perci march quicker with her hands stuffing her pockets and not even bothering to look back. "Perci seems like a tough cookie, but I have a hunch she'll open up sooner or later. Just give her time."

"Mmhmm!" Undine joined the conversation. "And besides, it's her deal, so who cares!" She quickly cheered the mood, walking by the others, before realizing someone of them wasn't close to the group. "Hey! Copper! Get over here!" She called, waving to her teammate with her hand, and Copper, silently nodding, approached them slowly. "Man C, you really gotta start showing up more, you know? Sometimes I swear I can't even recognize when you're around!" Undine grinned, and Copper nodded again.

So far, Copper was one of the other enigmas, at least when it came to JPLL and ACMN. She barely spoke, barely ate, and overall, no one knew a lot about her. While Undine's love for seafood was already a fact each of them could recount, when it came to Copper... Almost nothing concrete, besides the fact that her home is Atlas and her father raised her alone, came up. Sometimes, Ash or Melody would try and talk to her, but she outright avoided the conversations when she could, always having an excuse to run off or do something for one of the teachers. "...Alright. I will try to remain closer to the rest of the team." She finally responded after being close to the rest of them.

"You really should," Melody mentioned off hand. "I mean... What if something happens and none of us are around? Being stuck with a grimm alone is not something I'd want to have to handle, to be sure." The rest of them nodded, Melody herself walking a bit closer to the center of the seven, slight hints of fear already drifting off her voice. It was a known fact at this point that Melody wasn't the bravest warrior out there. Why she chose to become a Huntress was something that she kept to herself for now, but at the very least, she reassured everyone that there wasn't any threatening involved with it.

As the group walked, after a short while, a weak, but cheerful humming sound was heard amongst them. The tune, in it of itself, was slow, yet happy, recounting childhood memories and experiences. They looked around, searching for the source of the voice, until realizing that Jin herself was just singing behind a closed mouth, her body happily wobbling to the rhythm of the lullaby. "Hey, Jin, that's a pretty sweet song!" Melody smiled at her. "Can I try?" She closed her eyes, listening carefully. Before long, when she opened her mouth to sing, Melody managed to capture the tone almost perfectly, even correcting some of Jin's own fibs and mistakes.

The moment she heard the blonde's voice come out, mimicking the same song engraved on her heart, Jin stopped singing herself, listening in. At first, it sounded a bit unfamiliar to her, as she had not heard another sing this song for such a long time, but before she knew it, her body resumed the waving motions, almost creating a dancing motion to the beat. "Wow! You sing just like Mama!"

The rest of the group paused. After the incident with Ash and the investigation into Jin, talking about her became a bit of a taboo amongst the group, and while they never truly ignored her, she decided, for the most part, to just let her live on her own. However, seeing as she talked, and not being one to ignore, Leila turned to her, giving her a gentle smile. "I see... Was your mother a good singer?"

"Yeah! Every night, she'd tuck me in under a tree, and sing me this song! It's my favorite!" She exclaimed, and when she realized Melody stopped singing, she nudged her shoulder, though with her force it was enough to shake the poor girl to a degree. "Hey! Heeeey! Can you sing some more?"

"A-Alright..." Melody sighed, and resumed the song, looping the parts she managed to memorize from Jin as they walked. Jin circled her, happily enjoying herself, the rest of the teams being swept away into her cheerful mood. Undine started circling Melody, singing with her, Ash clapped her hands to the beat, and while Hue didn't respond with much, a soft smile did manage to make its way to her face. Leila smiled just as much, though her face signified her grin was that of a polite person, rather than one who is genuinely happy. Copper, on her end, said nothing, like she usually did, looking at Jin's happy, beaming face every once in a while, and not much else.

"Alright students," Glynda spoke up, stopping in place, and addressing the students. Melody stopped singing, paying her full attention. "Now, I want each of you to take one jar, and fill it up with sap. And please, be aware of your surroundings. There ARE Grimm in the area, after all." She then left them to their devices, sitting nearby, watching the students do the task given to them.

Leila went ahead, picking up a jar for each of her teammates, handing one to Perci, Hue, and Jin. Jin, of course, dropped the jar not soon after, having no idea what it was for, and smelling the sweet scent of sap in the air, wandered off on her own again, looking for something to eat, Hue running after her with both of the containers in her hands.

Undine sighed, having filled up half of her jar. "God, this smiley sap... So icky..." Her skin shuddered to the touch of the cold, sticky substance, wanting to just get the assignment over with as soon as she could. After about ten minutes of filling up sap into the glass bottle, she turned her head, seeing Copper struggle with it just as much as she did. Wanting to help her teammate, she approached her, trying to act friendly as best she could. "Hey... Copper."

Copper stopped her movements, standing up and turning to her fully. Her eyes, though jade in color, were as cold as icebergs. "Yes?" She asked with a single word, before turning back to the tree, trying to drain as much of the sap as she could out of it.

Undine always felt unnerved by her teammate. The rest of her friends in Beacon, she could handle easily. But Copper? It was like she was just not there half the time. "So... I've noticed that you... Uh..." her confidence quickly leaving her, Undine was left as shy as they first met her, all the way back on initiation day. "D-Didn't finish your work yet. Do you... Want some help?" It was quite difficult for her, communicating with people she couldn't read well. Even Perci didn't give her as much of a hassle as Copper did.

Copper stopped again, seemingly thinking about her offer for a short while, before nodding. "...Yes. That would be greatly appreciated, Undine." She stood back up. "Would you please assist me in finding more trees rich with sap?"

Hearing her partner respond to her positively shot a surge of confidence right through her heart. She felt it; this was gonna be her chance to finally bond with her partner! "Great!" She called out, pointing towards one of the more secluded parts of the forest. "let's go over there, C! We could get all the sap there before someone else finds us and our secret spot!" She came to yell, as enthusiastic as she was, remembering to lower her voice right at the last second.

Copper took one glance towards the spot her partner chose to know this was a bad idea. "This is not wise. The Grimm could easily surprise us there." She explained, though at this point Undine was desperate to have this one thing go for her, she just grabbed Copper's hand, who showed little to no resistance.

"Nah, don't worry, we'll be fine! I mean, I'm sure YOU of all people could easily deal with some grimm!" She started dragging Copper towards the distant treeline.

As the two of them walked, Leila couldn't help but catch them in the corner of her eyes, raising an eyebrow. "Hmm... I wonder where the two of them are going. This is outside of the boundaries Glynda told us to be in..." She kept pondering, coming to follow them, though Perci's voice cut her train of thought, as sarcastic as she always was.

"Oh please, who cares about Fish girl and that... THING." Perci shrugged, and Leila giving her a displeased expression.

"Perci! Copper is NOT a thing! She is a living person, just like the rest of us!" This, for Leila, was past the line of good taste. Regardless for Perci passing that line with almost anything she said, at least. "I will not abide you insulting her like that with your speech!"

"Oh bite me, you bitch!" Perci's foul mood was showing in full bloom. Being forced to do something like that against her will only managed to piss her off. "I'm not here to listen to your fucking lectures! Let's just get this fucking sap and be done with this shit so we can go back! Good god wasting our weekend doing fucking chores for Beacon..." She grunted, gruff and salty, ignoring Leila and going back to the tedious job of filling up the jars. That, however, didn't stop Perci from sneaking some of it to herself, out of Glynda's line of sight. What she'd do with it, she didn't fully know just yet. The fact of the matter was, she wanted some.

Having had enough of Perci's temper for now, Leila decided to turn her attention to the wandering pair. Making her way throughout the foliage, she soon heard a sharp whistle, coming from behind her, as Ash approached the nun, looking concerned a bit by the expression on her face. "Oi, Leila. Something's up?" She asked, getting straight to the point.

"Well... Undine and Copper just wandered off to who knows where, and honestly I do not think it was a good idea." Leila explained. "So, I resolved to find them in hopes of convincing them to get back to the main group."

Ash looked at her, the height difference being quite noticeable, before giving a relieved noise. "Oh... Man. Had me scared there for a second, like Jin going wild or something." So far, Leila doing it a bit perplexing that Ash didn't even flinch, staying as calm and collected as ever.

"B-But Ash... What if something happens to them? There are Grimm running amok, who would protect them if they get ambushed?"

All Ash did was place a firm palm on Leila's shoulder again, shaking her head a bit. "Leila... Don't worry, alright? I'm sure that the two of them would do just fine on their own. It's not like either of them is as cowardly as Mel." She chuckled, Melody, hearing her in the distance, huffing her face and turning away, walking off to collect some more sap. "I know it seems like the two of them can't communicate, and trust me, Copper doesn't make it any easier, but I've seen them in sparring sessions. When push comes to shove they'll know what to do."

Leila's face lifted, staring at Ash with hopeful eyes. "Are you absolutely sure? If something happens to them and I won't be there in time..." Her voice was already filled with guilt, and Ash merely shook her head again.

"If you won't be there in time, they'll still be able to take care of themselves." She reassured her. "I trust them, alright? You should too."

"Y-Yeah..." Leila searched for them one last time, scanning the treeline with her eyes just to make sure. "I-I guess you're right."

* * *

For Copper and Undine, things couldn't have gotten worse.

About a few minutes after wandering off on their little adventure, searching for the perfect spot to collect sap in, they encountered a small pack of Ursai, each of which instantly signaling them out and charging at them. Undine was the first to react, though after one of them tried to strike her down, she seemingly vanished right into the ground, her weapon dropped to the floor where she once was, leaving Copper to fend for herself. She fought as best she could, managing to fell at least two of them, but by the time the last one approached her to finish the job, it was too late to call for help. Even if she could, her naturally weak voice wasn't able to reach that far, and she couldn't leave Undine behind.

The growl of the Ursa was as near to her face as it could get. It stopped for a second, sniffing her general direction, as if making sure of something, before opening its maw to devour her head whole. She didn't know what to do, and, left at the mercy of the world, readied her drives to stand her ground.

When a yellow flash pierced the area from the trees to her right, dashing right into the grimm.

Jin reacted far faster than Copper could estimate. She didn't know whether she would come or not, but seeing as the two of them were in trouble, Copper at least ran the risk of having to rely on her.

"Copper!" Hue called out, running close to her, helping the small girl to her feet and carrying her away to a safe distance. "Are you alright? Where is Undine?" She questioned her, Copper quickly replying by pointing to the patch of ground she vanished in, Oceanline still just laying there as she left it.

She looked to the side, watching Jin struggle against the armored grimm. Sending her claws at the beast, she could barely scratch the thick bone plating, though the Ursa, just as much, had trouble damaging her tough frame, leaving the two of them at a stalemate. It raised a claw, aiming to crush Jin into the ground, though she managed to move out just in the nick of time, rolling around it, and sending her dust claw into its back. Managing to crack the porcelain colored coating on the grimm, it bellowed, charging her with its massive weight. Jin looked at it, focusing her entire body to the present moment, steeling herself and planting her feet deep into the ground, an eerie brown light emanating from parts of her body. Hue watched with great interest as the girl tapped into the dust within her, channeling the earth element through it, and hardening her body, making her resistance even greater. When the impact actually happened, Jin was pushed back, the ursa trying to run her over, failing miserably against the sheer toughness she exhibited.

"H-Hello?" Suddenly, Hue heard a voice, coming from behind her. She turned away from the action for a brief moment, only to see Undine, or at least, her head, sticking out of the ground where she vanished. Quickly running to her, she offered her hand, Undine waving her head politely. "No... Hold on a sec. Still trying to get the ropes of this whole semblance business." She chuckled awkwardly, and soon enough, her body started to pop out of the ground, slowly ascending, until she was fully free from the earth, standing on her feet.

"Is your semblance still new to you?" Hue asked, mildly curious, Undine nodding her head positively.

"Well... I guess so? I mean, I've been hunting fish and taking care of aquatic grimm for years now, but I've only recently started using my semblance. Can't say it's easy..." She chuckled a bit, trying to push past the initial pauses and stutters, slowly rebuilding her confidence. "And... Yeah. You've just seen me use it, with... Mixed results."

"Hmm..." Hue looked again towards Jin's direction. Right now, she was busy pummeling the ursa into submission, and seeing as the battle was currently in her favor, she returned her attention to Undine. "And do you mind if I asked what did your semblance do?"

Undine nodded, trying to explain. "Well... It's kinda hard to explain, but I guess I can 'dive' into things?" She made quotation motions with her fingers, giving an occasional look at Jin and her fight while talking. "I can only do this with stuff that contains me, and I can't bring things like my weapon yet, but I've been practicing. Hopefully one day I'll be able to get the gist of it better. Anyway... Shouldn't we do something about _that?_ " She pointed to Jin again. This time, the ursa managed to push her back, and Jin gave a loud roar, hacking at it with frozen claws.

"Indeed. Allow me." Hue nodded, and dashed to Jin's assistance, drawing her blade and preparing her semblance. She conjured three streams, swirling them around the ursa, and closing her fist, the light string she made shrunk, exemplifying her control over her unique power, and trapping the grimm to boot. Though she couldn't do it for long, it gave Jin just the opening she needed, diving in and slamming herself with everything she had into the ursa, finally delivering the decisive blow and killing it, as it sank to the ground, lifeless and decaying.

Undine watched her, using her power like that with such skill. She couldn't help but feel a sort of admiration for the girl and what she could do, hoping one day to master herself just as much. Hue looked at her back, though soon enough Jin dashed towards her, ignoring Copper entirely, as Undine found herself deep in the giant's bosom, feeling first hand one of her famed bear hugs.

"J-Jin..." She tried to struggle her way out, to no avail. Jin just kept hugging her, looking Undine in the eyes, tearing up a bit.

"A-Are you okay?!" She called out. Any aura that was hurt was something that she could never stand to watch, ever, and seeing her friend damaged even a bit was enough to make Jin worry more than ever. Undine nodded her head, talking as peacefully as she could to her.

"Y-Yeah, Jin. I'm fine. Now... Can you please let me down? It's kinda... Choky. In here. You're choking me." Being direct as she could, and her breathing truly impaired to a degree, Jin finally letting her down. Undine fell to her feet, backing up a bit, looking at Hue with a curious expression. "How the hell do you survive those?" She whispered to her.

Hue shrugged lightly. "It helps that I've had to endure worse at home," she concluded swiftly, getting up, and looking at her scroll. "Either way... I believe that we should be heading back soon. Jin, let us go back." She started to pace slowly, turning her head to Undine and Copper, who finally managed to get back up to her feet. "Are you two coming?"

Copper nodded, and Undine gave Hue a thumbs up. "You know it!" The four of them, each sans Jin carrying her own bottle full of the sap, made their way together towards the main group, where the rest were waiting for them.

As soon as she saw her friends coming back, Leila rushed in, looking rather worried. "Where in the name of Lord were you?! You had me quite worried." She asked them, and Hue gave her the brief rundown of the events that led to them being late. Once hearing the whole story, all Leila could do was sigh, her heart being at peace. "Hmm... At least you are safe and sound. Take this as a lesson, Undine. Stay where you are told, it is safer that way."

"Yeah," Perci cut in, Leila bracing herself for yet another cynical, snarky remark. "If you're a wimp!" She laughed out loud, and as the group made their way back to Beacon, Perci and Leila found themselves knee deep in an argument about the law and the various implications it had of the people.

From there, Glynda made a quick count of the jugs filled to the brim, making sure they had enough. Once she was satisfied with the amount, she turned to the students.

"Great work, everyone. Now, let us get back. I am sure all of you are starving after working all day." She started the return journey, the teams she requited following suit. Laughs were common in the air, and spirits were high as always, team JPLL and ACMN quickly melding in the good mood just as much, even Perci's mood lifting a bit now that the bullshit was over.

As they walked, Perci took one look at her side. She saw CRDL, lead by Cardin, walking shamefully at the side of the group, like JNPR, with that Pyrrha Nikos girl Leila couldn't stop blabbering about, seemingly bonding more than before. Seeing them, a group of complete strangers at first, now fast friends in the midst of battle, actually reminding her of her own team, for a change.

And a soft, though hidden smile crept across her face, as the teams made their way back.


	14. Angels and Monsters

The nights in Beacon were much quieter than Hue was accustomed to. So far, whenever she wanted to head outside and do some much-needed study, she either had to endure the sheer stupidity that was her siblings, or sneak out of the house, and find a decently quiet spot, though in Vacuo those were far and in between.

She walked the empty corridors, wearing her usual garb, and carrying a small, portable telescope, hand crafted and built, with her. While getting lost in the first few days was a frequent occurrence, she quickly memorized the internal structure of the dorm, halls and all, managing to find her way to the roof each time with ease.

Walking slowly, and watching her step, Hue made her way to the main hall, and from there, outside. While usually, the student's dorms would do for her to get a rather accurate look at the moon above, this night in particular, it was full, a rare sight in and of itself. For this particular occasion, Hue decided to try and luck, and for the sake of getting a better vantage point at the night's sky, head to the main building of the Academy itself, which compared to the dorms had a far higher roof for her to look from.

So far, things were going smoothly for the faunus. She managed to avoid the security cameras, as well as a close encounter with a patrolling Glynda. Finally stepping out to the cold, fresh air of Vale, she started walking towards the Academy, sighing in relief and believing herself to be safe at last.

However, as she walked, a certain figure seemed to have made it out before her.

She stopped in place, hiding behind a rock. It was humanoid, for certain, and from the brief moment she had to observe this person, they were just standing around the Cliffside, looking at something. Her first thought was to flee and head either to Beacon or back to the dorms, but some part of her, curious about the identity of this person, drew her to come a bit closer. Stepping quietly, and minding for any sticks or twigs that could have come into her path.

The more she inched in, the more Hue could recognize this person. The height, even from afar, was quite above average, and as the moon's light shone down upon her, Hue could catch glimpses of the golden hair, as well as it's rather unnatural length. At that moment, she realized who she was looking at.

"Jin?"

She couldn't believe her eyes, and yet, there she was. Jin was sitting on the edge of the cliff, head held high, gazing at the moon with an almost unnatural neutral expression, at least for her. Knowing that her team leader posed no threat to her discovery, Hue quit sneaking around, casually walking closer, and upon realizing Jin didn't answer her, tried tapping her shoulder.

"Jin? Are you alright?" She waited for a reply, yet none came. She wondered how Jin even managed to get out, though a quick look back at the dorms showed her dorm's window wide open. As well as some marks alongside the wall, showing Jin just jumped out. The enigma deepening, she sat by her, trying to get her attention again.

"Jin... What is wrong with you?..." She tried many things to get her team leader's attention, from prodding her repeatedly, to raising her voice right in her ears, to even attempting to poke her with her pencil, though Jin's body proved far too thick and durable to penetrate with any sharp object she might have carried with her. At that point, Hue resolved to stand before Jin, blocking the moon from her line of vision. She figured that perhaps if Jin could stare at her aura directly, she would recognize her at last and address her properly. In some area of her mind, Hue was actually beginning to worry to a degree, having never watching Jin behave in such an odd manner.

In some ironic twist, it reminded Hue of herself, all the way back when she was a child. While her brothers all sparred, wrestled, and beat the snot out of one another, she preferred to... look at things. People walking on the street, animals eating in peace, birds flying in the sky. And each time, after observing something for enough time, usually between a few minutes to an hour at most, she got bored with her sudden obsession, moving on to other things to look at and study.

But the moon... It was different. For some reason she couldn't explain, after watching it for the first time for what felt like hours, she _still_ hadn't had enough. It was as the moon drew her in, with powers beyond her understanding, to look at it more and more. None of her brothers acted like her, and of course, she was ridiculed for it at first, which was something she learned to live with when all was said and done. But of course, that never changed the fact that the moon had an aura to it. A meaning beyond words that she could not grasp yet.

And she was willing to do anything it took to get that meaning out of it.

"Jin, come now, there's no need to ignore me." Her mind went off reminiscing for a brief moment, sinking back to reality, as she realized Jin was still saying nothing to her. Perhaps, though dense as she was, Jin felt it too. The draw of the moon, calling her to look at it, however unlike Hue, the giant had no way to express this need, leaving her transfixed. Agreeing with herself that her theory is most likely correct, Hue sat the telescope down, sitting next to the cat faunus. While her study was as important as ever, she forgot in a sense what it was like, to be a child, who looked at the world for the sake of looking.

She let the flow of time grow dim on her consciousness, and for a single night, embraced the sheer joy she felt from letting her passion out without recording and memorizing. She could draw shards of the moon and peer deeper into it any other month. But quietly staring at it... It was a rare experience in her current life.

* * *

The morning came slowly, Leila being the first to rise and shine. Or, at least, that was what she thought, before looking at realizing both Hue and Jin were absent from their respective beds. The sun hadn't risen just yet, giving Leila ample time to prepare for her morning prayer, to be held right at sunrise.

As she got out of bed, she saw Perci swinging in her bed, eyes snapping open as she rose up to sitting, seemingly having dealt with a nightmare of something of the sort. Not being one to stay silent when one is awake next to her, she turned to Perci, bowing her head politely. "Good morning, Perci." Her tone was calm and neutral, as it was for the most part.

Perci looked at her, breathing a bit heavy, though nodding her head regardless. "Yeah... Morning, I guess." She fell back to bed, curling up in her blanket, though it was obvious she couldn't fully fall asleep, and something was in fact, on her mind. Leila, seeing her hidden pained expression, got up, walking to her bed, and sitting at a decent distance from her.

"Perci..." She tried to find something to say to her, thinking for a bit, before coming up with an idea. It was risky, for sure, though if things went accordingly, this might have been a prime time for the two of them to be able to bond a bit, something Leila was hoping could happen sooner or later, considering them being teammates. "...I'm about to head out to my morning prayer. And I was thinking... Would you like to come with me? It could help stave your thought from-"

Before she could even finish her thought, Perci raised her hand, to shut her up. "yeah... No. Not a fucking chance, Nun. See, I'm on the side of common fucking sense." She snarled, her moon being as foul as it could get.

"...You didn't even let me finish my thought." Leila turned to her fully, face stern and arms crossed. Perci could only laugh a bit, the sarcasm in her tone being as obvious to the two of them as ever.

"I don't need to. No fucking way Imma go and pray to some bullshit god that doesn't even exist." She muttered, insulting everything Leila could stand for.

Leila stood up. "I have tried, Perci. I tried being friends with you, and to some degree, I thought I succeeded." She walked to the closet, pulling out a robe and hastily putting it on. "But I can see that some people will never change. I wanted to find something that could help you get your mind off the nightmare I saw you had. But, if that is how you wish to besmirch my Lord, then so be it." She spun to the door. "I wish you a fine day, Perci." She said, walking out and heading outside.

While one would assume she was angry at Perci beyond compare, internally, Leila was as cloistered up as she always was. Her tones were without emotion to them, sans the occasional anger outbursts, which she was not proud of whatsoever. Her mother and the Lord raised her to be far better than this. Shaking her head at the thought of lashing out at the delinquent she had to deal with so often, she headed to the courtyard, where the sun's light was just about to shine. Catching the right timing at the very last second, Leila quickly got into position, kneeling at the sun's direction, and closing her eyes, feeling the first rays of warmth hit her face gently.

"O Lord, king of skies above." She started her prayer, cooing softly, letting her morning ritual calm her and put her soul at ease. "Please guide thine humble servant and Angel Ascendant in her path to ascension." Being her mother's daughter, and her village's angel ascendant, gave Leila's prayer its own variation. While many of the priests and nuns would ask for general guidance, in Leila's case, it was customary to pray for the gift that made each angel in her family before them who they were. After running through the usual rites and verses, as she memorized by toe at this point, she paused a bit.

At the very end of the prayer, some people added their own, personal request for the Lord. Usually, she skipped that part, having no other goals in her heart but to serve her church and become the person she was meant to be, but regardless, in this instance, she decided to take one last prayer.

"And please, O Lord above. Please grant Perci the peace of heart she deserves."

She figured that if anyone was there to assist her, it was the Lord above. Finishing her prayer, she opened her eyes, getting up slowly to her feet. The sun's light hit her silver eyes, making them narrow suddenly and forcing her to cover her face for a short while before she finally adjusted to the difference in light and could look around freely.

"...Yo." She heard a voice come from behind her, bending her head. It was Perci, of all people, who slowly stepped towards Leila, hands in her pockets and gazing to the side of the road. "So, uh..." She made a popping noise with her mouth, swaying back and forth a bit with her feet. "Finished that, um... Prayer of yours?"

Leila's gaze returned to being cold and vindictive. "Indeed. What is it that you want to speak about?" At this point, unless the Lord decided to answer her prayers right there and then, she held no patience for another temper tantrum from her partner.

Perci paused a bit, thinking internally. "Well... How do I put this, uh..." She clearly had something on her mind, and Leila glared at her, now knowing what it was at all. "See, I... Umm..." Her hand swirled in place, seemingly still lost in thought, trying to come up with some articulate terminology, like the kind Hue was so fond of.

Leila tilted her head to the side, standing up fully. "If you have something on your mind, out with it. I am in no patience for your insults and japes right now." She concluded swiftly, leaving Perci to her own devices, still trying a way to express what was on her mind.

About a minute later, Perci finally made up her mind. She gazed at the nun, a menacing aura surrounding her, as she uttered something Leila could have never expected.

"Fight me."

Leila, caught off guard, turned to her partner, slight confusion appearing on her face. "...Pardon?" She asked, still unsure what Perci wants.

"You heard me." Perci started to inch towards her, her cane clicking against the ground with each step she made. "You, me, in the combat arena, thirty minutes. We'll settle our differences like men." She offered, giving the nun time to contemplate. "And, as an added condition... No draining from you. We do this fair." She made her final offer.

Leila took some time, tapping on the top of her chin with her thumb, as if holding her head as she considered her offer. Sure, the two of them had their differences... But to take it to combat was not something she was accustomed to, and while she could appreciate the chance to finally shut Perci up for a change, doing it like this brought some doubt to her heart. However, the more she thought about it, the more she realized there might not be any other option.

She gave Perci a single nod. "Very well. I shall meet you in the combat arena in thirty minutes' time. You had better not be late." She drifted off, walking back to her dorm. Before the fight, she wanted to make sure her weapon was in peak condition, as Perci would prove quite the formidable opponent, from what she's seen of her.

As she walked towards the dorm, two figures became visible at the corner of her eyes, turning her head to see Hue and Jin sleeping soundly at the edge of the cliff. Sparing a few minutes to approach the two, she stepped over, glancing at their sleeping forms, Hue's telescope knocked over the night by the wind, leaving it laying on its side on the ground beside her. Leila picked it up, placing it next to her, and returned to the dorm. While usually she'd lecture Hue on sleeping outside when they had lessons the day after, for now, she had far more pressing matters on her mind.

For soon, she would finally engage her very antithesis.

* * *

When Perci got to the arena, Leila was already waiting for her, weapon struck into the ground, kneeling towards the entrance. When she approached her, she realized Leila was praying again, asking her little made up god for an easy win or whatever, shrugging and walking to the other end. Spinning her cane in her hands, she let it lean on her shoulder, moving about in place, until Leila finally reopened her eyes, standing up and drawing her blade from the ground.

Perci gave her a sly, coy smirk. "Ready, Nun?" She asked her, teasing and being a bitch, like usual. Leila's expression was unmoving and unchanging, making her resemble Copper, to a degree, not something Perci could admit she was a fan of.

"Indeed. Let the Lord decide the victor." She lowered her blade, holding it horizontally, pointing it at her partner, now opponent.

Perci waited for her to have the first move, and when realizing Leila wasn't going to attack her on her own, brought up her free hand, taunting her. "Come on... Not going to attack? Welp, guess I win by default then." She cackled, keeping the mental pressure up, until, just as predicted, Leila couldn't stand it anymore.

"So be it. Prepare thyself!"

Leila shouted, running at Perci directly, blade held to her left. With her right hand, she spun the barrel of Caliborn, landing on fire dust, and once she was close enough, she brought a powerful, massive swing, directly at Perci's abdomen. Perci smirked, blocking the blade with her Anarchy Melodica, the cane proving far harder then Leila gave it credit for, using her own weight against her and pushing Leila back, forcing her to lose her momentum.

She jumped back, raising her blade up high, calling upon the dust in the barrel to unleash the Lord's flames upon Perci, as a shower of holy fire descended from the ceiling of the arena. Perci could only smirk again, dashing _through_ the fire, getting hurt on the way, but closing the distance between her and the nun. She got close enough, swinging her cane violently, bringing the blunt end right upon Leila's head.

She had barely a moment to react to the attack, spinning Caliborn in hand to deflect the attack, delivering a swing as a counterattack from below. Perci, being the reckless person she was, happily took the hit, her aura shielding her, reacting with a punch to Leila's gut, sending her flying back. Her aura, as expected, was lowered by a significant degree, but to her, it didn't matter at all. All that mattered was the win, and any means were welcomed for the objective.

Leila recovered midair, landing on the wall of the arena, the concrete cracking around her from the sheer force she had. Bending her legs, and springing forward, she switched to wind dust, spinning midair, causing a small tornado to form around her, pulling in everything around the nun straight into the center. As Perci felt the grip of the wind detach her from the floor, she spun the tip of her cane, as it transformed into a Tommy gun.

"Eat dust motherfucker!" She called, spraying her bullets all over the place, emptying the cartridge within a matter of seconds, reloading and doing the same soon after. Once she ran out of bullets, she returned her weapon to its primary form, and having no other option, braced herself to being caught in her own plan, as the bullets now flew all over the place, both herself and Leila being wide open.

Within the spinning winds, she felt the bullets scrape her aura from almost every direction she could think on. Down, up, left and right, even from below her, Perci felt the bullets coming at her, just as much as they did at the fucking nun, or so she thought. Doing her best to shield herself, her aura being as massive as it was, she managed to wait out the air currents to dissipate on their own.

As the dust settled, and things started to fall back to the ground, all the leftover bullets scattered, hitting the walls all at once. Perci fell, right on her face, getting up soon after to look if she managed to do anything to Leila, and upon seeing her mostly unscathed, snarled at her direction. "Oh, bullshit! I just unloaded two fucking clips into this mess! How are you not hurt!"

"Simple." Leila's face now wore the grin, though it vanished as quickly as it came. "I stood in the eye of the storm."

Perci roared in anger, dashing at the Nun once more. Leila readied the earth dust cartridge, sticking her blade into the ground once more, and unleashing a tremor on the surrounding area around her. Perci quickly jumped, focusing her aura on her feet, and upon landing and stomping the ground, brought her own quake, canceling out Leila's. She dashed in, getting within punching range, and sent her fist straight into Leila's face. She lifted her blade, the wide, broad surface acting as a shield, as a loud clinging noise filled the arena.

"It's useless!" Perci called, channeling her aura into her fists, sending a barrage of attacks, quick and tempered, aiming to punch her way THROUGH the blade. Leila held on as best she could, her own aura already weakened from her earlier dust based attacks, Perci's wailing not doing her any favors. At last, just as Perci was about to break her, Leila opted for a last resort move, pushing against Perci's punch just as her clutched fist was about to break her defense, aiming to disorient her for just enough to give the finishing blow. The aura bars, at the top of the arena, calibrated for the two of them, showed that Perci was faint on aura just as much as she was. It was now or never.

Their attacks met in the middle, both standing her ground against the other. Leila locked eyes with Perci, who gave her a maniacal grin, keeping her fist steady. "Well?! Just how long do you think you hold this, bitch?!" Perci shouted straight to her face, as aloof as ever, though her body told a whole different story.

"Just as much as you!" Leila's voice raised to a shout, bringing all she had into one last push. Both their attacks diverted to the side, Leila took the chance to strike Perci one last time, not realizing that her opponent thought the same, and as her blade took out the remains of Perci's aura, her face met the bitter end of Perci's fist, concluding the duel in a tie.

Both of them flew out, hitting the different ends of the arena. Perci was the first to stand up, still needing a few minutes to waddle over to the nun, who needed a bit more rest before she could rise, looking at her from above. While Leila expected her to gloat, seemingly the victor due to some minute nonsense only Perci cared about, she couldn't help but be surprised by a hand, reaching out to her.

"Yo. You a'ight?" Perci asked her, and Leila blanked once, before shaking her head and reaching out to her, taking her teammate's palm as she was lifted to her feet. "So... Some fight, huh?" Perci asked, looking around. Their little duel left the arena in quite the shambles, chunks of broken walls here and there, as well as a cracked floor.

Leila sighed, tired but satisfied, leaning on her blade as she looked at the carnage both of them most likely had to clean. "Indeed, Perci... Indeed. It was quite the match, to be sure." She looked over, Perci still avoiding her eyes directly. "If you do not mind me asking... That thing you wanted to ask me earlier today. What was it?"

"Oh? Oh, right, yeah." Perci waved her head about a bit, clearing her thoughts. "I wanted to say... Sorry. I shouldn't have lashed out at you this morning, alright? I just had a bad dream."

Hearing her apologize almost made Leila's heart skip a bit. She smiled at Perci, calm and accepting, taking her free hand and putting it over her lips. "Do not worry. I will not tell a soul." She promised, Perci sighing with relief the moment she heard her say it.

"Oh MAN! thanks a bunch..." Now that the fight was over, Perci's mood eased up considerably. her foul temper from her wake vanished, for the most part, leaving her cynicism and wits at her disposal, without the anger and discontent to almost everything around her that came with it for the most part. "But seriously, tell anyone and I'll cut your heart out. Got it?" She gave Leila a semi-serious look, before shrugging it and starting to head out towards their dorm. "Man, where the hell are the Nerd and Brute, anyway?"

Leila walked next to her, a new sort of respect forming between the two. Even if she could not agree with her life choices, by now Leila couldn't ignore her own strength. While Leila drew her power from the Lord and her faith, watching someone pull their own weight entirely, refusing to rely on anyone for their own health was defiantly a new sight for her. "I believe the two of them are still laying outside, napping. I hope Jin didn't catch a cold..." She answered Perci, thinking about the consequences of Jin sneezing about everywhere she went.

The image of Jin with a runny nose made Perci snicker. "Go figure, she would probably sneeze solid dust or something." She tried cracking a joke, and while Leila didn't laugh, Perci didn't mind it as much. Leila was strong, she gave her that much, her skill with dust being quite the sight to behold. Some part of Perci wondered what would happen if Leila had access to more aura, though she had no way to answer that question.

And so, the two of them, closer than ever, walked out to yet another together in Beacon.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, I hope you enjoyed this much-needed duel between Perci and Leila. It was actually pretty fun to write (1300 words in 30 minutes whaaaaaaaa)
> 
> Regardless, this is Arch, signing out, and I'll see you tomorrow with the next chapter!


	15. A Trip Gone Awry

As the weekend rolled along, and Perci still being unable to leave Beacon, with Leila and Hue not wanting to leave her behind, team ACMN decided to go out to town on their own, to have a day of fun. Ash, Melody, Copper and Undine walked the streets of Vale, chatting amongst one another while searching for a proper place to eat a good meal.

Ash, so far, was calm and confident. Her leadership skilled even surprised her, to a degree, and her laid back attitude shifted to a degree to show it. Now, she stood as someone proud to call herself a team leader, though her posture was still slumped, and her eyes still had the weary look of one wanting to sleep all day. "Mmm... Gotta say gals, day sure is fine, eh?"

"It's so beautiful outside..." Melody mused, and the rest listened in, as if waiting for her to burst into song, like she usually did when she was in a cheerful mood. When she realized she was being watched, her cheeks puffed and changed to a pretty shade of red, looking to the side slightly embarrassed. "W-What are you looking at?..."

"Oh, nothin' much." Ash chuckled slightly, her chill yet cocky look only making Melody step back a bit. "Just waitin'."

"Yyyyyup." Undine joined in, giggling with her eyes closed, leaving a large grin on her face. "So! What's it gonna be today? A sonnet? A hymn? Come on Mel, surprise us~" Ash joined Undine's small taunt, both of them laughing loudly at the obvious tease, though Melody's expression only became more and more flustered with each so-called request.

Melody shook her head, trying to push out her own cowardice, and upon mustering enough courage, she finally opened her mouth. "W-Well... How about _you_ , uh, um..." She tried thinking of some witty comeback to Ash and Undine, and upon realizing nothing was going to pop into her head, she cried, her shoulder slumping a bit backward. "Fine... You win I guess..."

She then felt the touch of a familiar hand, as Ash pat her shoulder, waving her head. "Nah, don't worry about it. It's just some friendly teasin', right Cop?" She tried inviting Copper into the conversation, who so far walked by their side as quiet as ever, only getting a single, cold nod from the short girl. "Eh, I guess not everyone likes this sort of jokes..." She gave a small rustle, shrugging. "Now, where to eat?..." She looked around, searching for a proper restaurant to spend her weekly allowance from Beacon in.

Luckily for the team, none of them had any abstains from eating meat or anything of the sort, all of them deciding at last on a modest looking cafe that caught Undine's eye, having a sign on fish in the entrance. Each of them took her seat, ordering whatever food they wanted, Undine going for a salmon, Melody taking some spaghetti, Ash fancying a good old steak, and Copper taking a glass of juice.

"What, aren't you hungry?" Ash asked her, voice showing concern. "Copper, I barely see you eat, if at all. Is something up?" It wasn't out of the question to Ash. She saw people who, because of mental distress, simply refused to eat anything at all, and seeing as Copper stroke some of the characteristics with Ash, she couldn't help but ask.

"I am fine," Copper replied calmly. "I am simply not hungry at the moment. I will eat later on, when I am."

Ash didn't fully buy it, but it was better than nothing. At the very least, Copper didn't try to actively say she doesn't want to eat whatsoever. "Alright, fine. But I'm watchin' you do." She gave Copper a stern glare. "You know what they say, a sound soul in a sound body. I don't want you collapsing in the middle of a fight because of dehydration or starvation, got it?"

Copper simply bowed in response. "Affirmative." She complied, and Ash, satisfied for now with her response, resumed the small talk with the other girls, waiting for their food to arrive. "So, anyway... We're almost at the end of the first semester, eh? Let's try something fun..." She smirked, both Undine and Melody looked at one another slightly confused at what she had in mind. "Crushes. Who has 'em?"

The moment she asked, Melody's face turned bright red, Undine just as much. "N-No one..." Undine spoke first, trying to get clean as soon as she could. In truth, beyond the usual suspects of good looking boys, she couldn't honestly say she had any crushes in particular.

 _Melody_ , on the other hand, stuttered heavily every time she tried to speak. Ash, catching her red-handed, suddenly placed her hands on the table, leaning in and looking directly into Melody's jade orbs with her brown eyes, uttering three simple words. "Who. Is. It?" Melody could only shake her head. The LAST thing she wanted to do was admit it like that in front of her team, the embarrassment taking over her quite easily.

"Uh, come on, Mel, we're all curious. Hell, even C is definitely curious, right?" She asked, Copper nodding once to her question. "See? Now, Mel... Spill the beans." She kept pushing her teammate, both Ash and Undine doing a magnificent job of pushing Melody into a corner.

At last, Melody caved in. She was never one to handle peer pressure well, and with both her friends demanding, she finally opened her mouth to answer. "I-It's... Perci. It's Perci, alright?" Her blush was dark, and she couldn't look anyone in the eye. Ash and Undine went quiet, and leaned back, both looking at one another with worry.

"Mel... You know how it would end, right?" Ash asked her, Melody nodding with a sigh.

"I know, I know... I just can't help it. Every time I see her in the combat lesson... I just can't help it. She's just so... _bad..._ " She whimpered, not knowing how her teammates would react to it. Of course, her mind was still in control of her actions. She knew quite well that it was a bad idea, trying to date such a person. She knew, from what everyone around her told her, to every media trope she had ever seen, that it would end in disaster. But at the end of the day... This is what her heart told her.

Ash was the first to speak, after a few minutes of awkward silence. Not wanting to let it linger for much longer, she nodded once, trying to tap into her leader self for the occasion. "Alright, the Mel... I'm gonna say this as a team leader now." She spun in place, her entire body in her teammate's direction. "Unless Perci shows some actual progress, I don't want you to try anything, alright? Trust me, I've seen the temptation before." Seeing Melody sigh in agreement, as if her dreams were shut down, Ash put a hand on her shoulder. "I'm not asking you to forget about it altogether. Just... Put it on hold for now, okay? Let's see if she really IS capable of change, and once you do, you have my permission to do whatever you want."

"Y-Yeah." Melody agreed. At the very least, she could agree to such a condition. While some parts of her still wanted to try something out and see where it went, Ash's words managed to pull her towards what she knew was right. She looked up, Ash being taller than her, feeling a wave of admiration for the detective.

Finally, the food arrived for the hungry team, plates filled to the brim with excellently smelling foods filling up their tables. Undine was the first to dig in, not even bothering to waste time on saying anything. She took her fork and knife, cutting parts of the fish, the salmon almost melting in her mouth, as she gasped at the incredible taste. Ash and Melody joined in, Copper drinking her ice tea in the background, watching her teammates slurp on the food with glee.

As the three of them ate, Copper couldn't help but notice a man staring at them from a table away. He was old, much older than them by far, wearing a worn out, dusty looking coat. She nudged Ash's shoulder, turning her attention to the suspected stalker. "Ash, a man has been staring at us for the past twenty minutes from five tables away, pretending to read a newspaper. Should I do something?"

It took her one glance to recognize the figure, making Ash gasp lightly, and immediately drop her utensils, getting up and walking to the man. "Dad? What are you doin' here?"

The man dropped his newspaper, to show his face, easily over his fifties. He glanced at her with a grin, leaning back in his chair, sipping on a cold cup of coffee. "What. Can't your old man get some drinks here and there? Sides, you look busy." She pointed to the rest of them, Melody blushing and looking away, Undine actually getting up and walking to the man.

"Oi, old geezer. You better not be doin' anythin' to my team leader here, are ya?" She tried to sound threatening, but the Ash's father showed no signs of intimidation, even more laid back then his child.

"Sheesh kiddo... I knew you were gonna get some profiles on your team, but ain't that a bit too much?" he asked her, Ash looking at Undine and tugging her by the shoulder, shaking her head. She then called the rest of her team to her side, and with all of them present, she finally gave the man a proper introduction.

"Girls... This is Clint Noir. My dad." She grinned, pride beaming in her eyes. "And... My mentor. Taught me everything he knows." She pointed to herself with her thumb, smiling with her eyes closed, and puffing her chest with pride.

Clint could only give a slight chuckle. "Not _everything._ " He shot her down from her high horse, Melody, and Undine giving a light chuckle. "Not yet, anyway. Still got a lot to go, kiddo."

"Whatever, _dad._ " She put her tongue out, playfully teasing him, and the two of them shared a hearty laugh, that to anyone from the outside would have sounded almost one to one similar. Once the laugh was well and done, and the other three seemed to feel more comfortable around her father, she finally realized something, turning to him. "Hey, dad... You got a case? You don't usually leave the office unless you do."

"Right on the money." He nodded, and at the sound of being able to help him just like she did before Beacon, Ash sat down, her tone growing more excited, yet serious. "Alright, then. What is it? We'll help you out, won't we team?" She turned to her team, signifying her leadership, each of them bobbing their heads, pretending they had the choice in the matter.

Clint took one glance at the group, and before long, nodded in agreement. "Alright, then. Actually, you four might just be what I need. This case is a bit... Outside, of my usual range of work, especially for a normal man like myself." he admitted, and Ash raised a brow.

"You took huntsman work? Since when do you do _that_?" She honestly couldn't believe her father would do such a thing. The man never had the affinity for aura and semblances, believing them to be over the top and unneeded in the simple life he planned to lead.

"Since the work doesn't involve Huntsman business, and the pay should cover the bills for a long, long while." He pulled out a file from his own coat, letting it fall to the table, as images of a beowulf slid out, roaming what seemed like the streets of Vale. The team gasped in shock.

"Is that?..." Ash asked, Clint nodding in confirmation.

"Couldn't believe it myself at first, I'll admit." He explained the four. "Guy comes into my office, says he saw grimm in the city. Says the police won't believe him, and he's willing to pay handsomely for me to try and help deal with the situation. Go out, set up stakeout where he said he saw the beast, and before I know it, one of the doors of a storage unit opens up, and this thing pops out, running and dying shortly after, seemingly too weak to survive for long. And, well..." He moves a bit in his seat, his bones making an audible sound as he picked up the images and packed them back in his coat. "I ain't as young as I used to be."

Ash and her team exchanged some glances with one another. They expected some guy cheating on his girl, or some petty theft, but this? It was far too alarming for any of them to just ignore. On top of it, Ash couldn't let her old man get involved like this without any aura or semblance to back him up. She looked into his eyes, determination filling her up. Undine, Copper, and Melody, likewise, sat closer, leaning in as if to keep the secret going.

"Then get me the address and hard copies of those photos, dad. Cause team Arcanum is on the case!"

* * *

About a few hours later, at dusk, the team gathered near the spot Clint guided them towards. Her scroll filled with all the info she needed, and her coat containing a similar file with printed data, Ash led her team to the spot her father set up in. Recognizing it by the littered bottles of water and snacks, Ash set up a small binocular, pulling out some food for water for the wait. She then instructed her team to lay down, each of them taking position next to her, Ash slowly peering towards the warehouse.

"So... What now?" Undine asked her, about a minute later. Out of the four of them, her attention span was the lowest, and she was bored out of her skull almost right away.

"Now... We wait." Ash resumed her silent gazing, Undine quickly losing her temper and wanting to get up, Ash stopping her before she could. "You'll blow our cover. We can't be seen. And keep your voice down." She instructed, Undine doing her best to stay quiet, but alas, her slightly hyperactive nature got the best of her, and she found herself staring at the darkening skies instead of their objective. The moon slowly came up, shining upon the area with its eerie light, as Undine wondered what Hue found in the celestial body, for as pretty as it was.

Time felt like it was grinding to a halt. Out of the entire team, Melody and Undine were already laying next to one another, while Copper and Ash silently watched from their secluded vantage point. So far, nothing was happening, and the two of them exchanged some small talk to pass the time. As for Ash, her experience in the field let her keep her cool for far longer, and Copper, on her side, seemed to have as much resilience as she had about being patient, if not more.

"So, Copper." Ash decided to take the chance to talk to the silent one, turning her attention away from the stakeout for a brief while. "How come you can stay around like this? I've been doing stakeouts for years, and you don't even flinch at the boredom."

Copper spun her head to her, shaking her head. "...My semblance allows me to negate emotions. It is passive, and thus, I am left rather blank-eyed around others. I do not feel boredom." She explained, Ash nodding her head, though hints of sadness appeared at the corner of her eye.

"That's... Not a happy existence." She commented, Copper bobbing her head slowly.

"It is the hand I was dealt." She summarized. "Nothing more. Nothing less."

"I suppose..." Ash waved her head, returning to the slow gaze at the empty area. By now, at least three hours or so have passed, and Undine and Melody seemed to have fallen asleep, leaving only Ash and Copper to complete the objective, and discover the truth behind the grimm that roamed the city itself.

Just as Ash was about to fall asleep herself, her own consciousness finally giving way, she felt Copper's hand shake her a bit. "Wake up. Something is moving down there." She heard Copper's voice, springing into life, as Copper slid back, waking up the other members of the team. All of them snuck forward, trying to look down, as only Ash had a something to zoom in with, seeing a group of shady looking people in dark robes walk into the warehouse. There were at least five of them, and two of them, obviously male, carried a large container of _something._

Melody tried looking at it closer, seeing some sort of symbol on the side of the keg, but unable to catch a good glimpse of it. "Hey, Ash, try and zoom in on that container. I think there's something on it."

Ash nodded, taking the moving object into her line of sight and zooming in as much as she could. Though the dark was all around them at that point, and visibility was not optimal, she still managed to catch a glimpse of the symbol on the side of the barrel.

The symbol, as far as she could tell, was comprised mostly of a hexagon shape, with three circles coming out of it, from the top, and two from the sides. At the very center of the logo, a stylized letter 'M' appeared, filling out the hexagon nicely.

"Hmm... Nothing I've ever heard of." Ash admitted, watching on as another man, possibly the leader of the group, opened up the doors to the warehouse, shouting something at the group, as the rest of them walked inside, shutting the door behind them. By now, that the immediate danger of being uncovered passed, Ash let out small exhalation, rising to sitting and addressed the rest of her team. "Alright, listen up! I don't know what those people do in there, but I intend to find out, got it? We're gonna go down there, I'll pick the lock, and we'll solve this mystery once and for all."

The rest of them behind her, Ash leading the way downwards to the ground level, walking towards the suspicious gate without making a sound. The rest of them followed, even Undine managing to keep quiet, until all four of them reached their destination, Ash at the lead. She pulled out a lock pick, telling the rest of them to back up, walking closer to the lock and slowly working on it, silence being her top priority.

Periodically, she stopped. Her guts told her when she was likely to get caught, as suspicious sounds came from all around them. She could almost smell the paranoia from inside the room, as if the people in there weren't all there, as it were. Worry finally started to make its way into her heart, but regardless, she pushed on, finally managing to pick the lock and calling the rest of them over.

They walked to the other end of the door, Ash opening it just a bit, at least when she was sure that it was safe.

Inside, she saw several men, and a single woman, standing around the keg. "A-Are you sure it's going to work?" One of them asked, his voice deranged, and almost lost in a sense. The other one, now unquestionably the leader, stopped in place, his body twisting almost too quickly towards the man, walking to him and giving him a ringing slap to the face.

"Shut up! It will work if we all concentrate! Last time she managed to make one, remember?!" The leader's voice struck all sorts of wrong chords with Ash. Paranoia, possible schizophrenia, and plenty more phycological ailments started to pop into Ash's mind as she built the man's profile. "Now get to work! Open the container!" He commanded, two of them walking closer and removing the lid's pins, taking it off and putting it away.

Ash didn't have to see what was in there. The fumes and the odor did the job for her. She could only imagine the same foul, disgusting ichor that Grimm sometimes left after their death. She continued to look, as she heard a slight buzzing noise in her head. Something whispering to her, telling her to do things.

Unspeakable things.

So far, she was able to resist it, not bothering her much. However, what drew her attention more was the fact that the people in the warehouse, sans the leader, were all on the floor, grabbing their head, screaming for death to take them already. Screams and mad laughs filled the room, a scene almost out of a horror movie, as the man in the center approached the keg, commanding it.

"Rise."

Nothing happened, at first. The man got angrier, lifting his hand and pointing it at the black ichor in front of him

"RISE."

He spoke again, more powerfully, the people around him withering in seemingly invisible pain, quickly losing more and more of their fleeting sanity to whatever force he employed. Ash had to step back, panting, as the voices in her head grew in volume, almost taking over the world around her.

Melody rushed to her side, letting Ash lean on her. "Are you alright?" She asked, while Copper took the lead, staring into the carnival of madness without flinching at all.

"Y-Yeah. I'll be alright." She came to step back in, but Undine and Melody stopped her.

"Ash, don't. Please. You started muttering things while you were looking in there..." Melody's voice was filled with dread and concern. "B-Besides, Copper seems to be fine. Please, just rest for now." She pointed to their team member, Copper gazing silently inside. By now, the screams were so loud, that even without looking at it directly, Ash could picture what was going on in there.

The people were on the brink of losing themselves entirely. The leader, fed up with the charade, gazed fiercely into the keg of black ichor, raising his hand as he shouted one last time. By now, the ichor inside the keg rattled and shook, popping over the tip, clearly visible to all.

" _RISE!_ "

And as he did, a black claw emerged from the ichor, and a blood-curdling howl filled the area.

The voices stopped. Ash quickly regained her balance, going back to staring inside, this time all of them peering inside together, though Melody herself was shaking in fear, on the verge of just ditching the whole ordeal. Before them, as well as the mad chippers of the leader of this cult, for a lack of a better word, a beowulf started to stir up, crawling out of the keg. It was weak, and rather small, and weak, having been just born, though, to the leader, it didn't matter. He removed his hood, revealing his face. It was scrawny, thin, clearly underfed and in need of nourishment. His skin was frail, almost white, though still with a hint of a human pigment to it.

But amongst everything about him that stroke them unnerving was his smile. The smile of a man who already lost everything, spread from ear to ear, as he managed to bring the grimm straight into Vale from the _inside._ The smile of a man who didn't care about anything anymore, relishing in his own madness.

And as he opened his mouth, eyes widening to an almost unnatural level, he laughed. He laughed for what felt for the team like hours, though the grimm didn't leave him a lot of time. Seemingly ignoring the people collapsed on the floor, the beowulf stopped in place. It sniffed the air, and as it charged the door, sensing others around the area, seemingly prioritizing the mentally stable, Ash's guts told warned her in advance. She quickly pulled out her weapon, as well as her team out of the door's radius, loading the barrel and putting a silencer on.

Soon after, the door burst open, and the newborn grimm lunged out, trying to grapple people who were no longer there. Of course, the moment it got out of sight for the people inside, setting its sights on team ACMN, it's life ended, as a bullet from Ash's Blind Justice quickly pierced its head, killing it on the spot. After that, the team fled, getting as far as they could from the area.

Once they were a safe distance away, to the tune of the rising sun, Ash finally gave the signal to stop, panting heavily. The rest of her team stopped with her, Melody shaking visibly. "W-What the hell was that?!" She could barely believe her own eyes. Watching a grimm being born right in front of their eyes was NOT a pleasant spectacle to see, and she didn't want to witness it ever again.

"I..." Ash paused, speechless. "I don't know. But whatever it was, we can't let them be. We have to _do_ something." It didn't take her long to make up her mind. "I don't care what those people were dealing with, but summoning grimm into the city is more as mad as it can get." She then pondered about it a bit more. "On top of it... We have to stay discreet. We can't go around telling people about this, it will only draw more grimm from the outside."

"B-But what can _we_ do? We're just four students in Beacon..." Melody murmured. Ash leaned towards her, looking serious, as she twisted her head towards Beacon itself.

"Correction, Melody... There are eight of us."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, ladies and gentlemen... This will be it for today. And oh boy... Was I excited for this one. I hope you all enjoyed, cause trust me...
> 
> The madness only grows deeper from here.


	16. In The Advant of Madness

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, then. The next chapter in online. I hope you enjoy what I had in store for you guys today...

Leila turned her head as she heard a loud knock on their dorm's door. So far, it was a quiet day for the team, Hue reading a book, Perci playing something on her scroll, and Jin watching the colors on the screen with awe and wonder. She turned her eyes towards the source of the sound, wondering who it was, getting up to open it.

"Guys! You in there?! Please, open up!" Ash's voice echoed through the door, and as Leila opened it, she couldn't even speak a single word as the entirety of team ACMN rushed into their room, looking distressed and worried. Quickly locking the door behind them, Ash turned to the rest of the group. "Alright. Double group meeting starts now!" She spoke, her usual laid back mood gone, replaced with grave urgency, taking up Leila and Hue's attention right away.

Jin, noticing the stressed out Auras around her, finally left Perci's side, running to them to try and hug them. Wrapping her large around all around the four, though a tight squeeze, she somehow managed to hug all of them, keeping them in her embrace.

The team struggled, Undine calling out in anger. "J-Jin! Now isn't the time! This is serious!" She huffed and struggled, but only after she noticed the team finally managed to calm down, seeing as their entire tempo was outright ruined, she let them go, dropping them to the floor with a large, friendly smile.

"There! Allll better!" She exclaimed, as if happy of herself, going back to watching Perci play her game, watching the lights flicker on and on, drawn to the pretty pictures.

So far, Perci didn't even raise her head from the scroll. Only after Jin jumped back to her bed did she get startled enough to raise her head, giving them intruders to their fine, relaxed day a glare. "Oh yeah? And what the fuck could be so important to fucking barge in here like fucking Grimm?"

"Funny you say that." Ash walked over, pulling the file from her coat. On closer inspection, her face was a bit pale, clearly speed deprived and working overtime just to keep herself awake. She dropped the file on her bed, taking out the pictures her father took before, showing them to the team. "Cause that's EXACTLY what we're dealing with."

Leila could hardly believe her eyes, as she took the photo to her hands. She inspected it, through and through, trying to find any clue for it being a fake. She already fell to those terrible jokes Perci kept sending her on the scroll. "Ash..." She stood up, her expression grim and grave. "Is this a jest?"

Ash waved her head, confirming Leila's worries. "Wish it was. My dad saw THIS on one of his cases. We go there, trying and investigate, and the next thing you know..." Her voice lowered to barely above a hush. "They called it OUT. They just... somehow... brought Grimm with them." Ash fell onto one of the beds, breathing heavy. The shock from earlier still fresh in her mind, she tried anything she could to distract herself and forget the voice she felt in her head. The voices that told her to kill, and destroy, and rape, and do all sorts of horrible things.

Her voice.

She shook her head again. It was impossible, she was sure of it. Those thoughts never popped into her head before, nor have they after they left the area. "I..." She finally managed to mutter, breaking the ongoing silence in the room. "I... _heard_ things, in there. I don't know how, or who caused it, but whoever they are... I felt like I was going mad." She finally admitted, Melody sitting by her side to comfort her.

The silence returned again. No one could say anything, let alone ask Ash what she even meant, until an eye rolling Perci finally opened her mouth, much to everyone's dismay. "...And? Let's just tell Ozpin or whatever and get this done with."

Ash came to shout at her, though before she could, Melody was already yelling in her face. "What?! have you gone mad! Do you even KNOW what would happen if anyone found out about this?!" She kept scolding her, and Perci, having none of her shit, simply crossed her arms.

"Alright then, Love." She spoke through gritting teeth. "Why don't you enlighten me?" She rolled her eyes, seemingly ignorant enough not to know the true reasoning behind it.

"Mass hysteria." Copper and Hue spoke at the same time, Copper quickly giving way to the other thinker. "Should this come to light, Perci, people's trust in the council would shatter. Fear will become dominant, and with it, will come more Grimm. The perseverance of the peace is a must. This has to be kept secret, at all costs."

Leila nodded in agreement. "Indeed. As much as it pains me to keep a secret, it must be done for the greater good. I will not let the Grimm harm the Lord's creations." She briefly concluded, taking out her blade. "Ash, please, guide us there. We will supply you with all the help you will need."

To her words, Hue got up, taking her weapon in hands. "Indeed. Grimm infesting the inner city could jeopardize my research. This has to be dealt with as quickly as possible." She stood tall and silent, almost eager to fight.

Jin, sensing the heightened moon, stood up as well. "Umm... We shouldn't be mad... But... If you need help, we'll help!" She cheered, not having any real clue as to the danger implied. Ash smiled at all of them, just glad to have such friends.

Then, of course, there was Perci, who was still in her bed. She realized everyone was staring at her, finally turning her head and pulling up her pants, showing them the ankle bracelet keeping her bound to Beacon. "...What? Even if I DID want to go, and I'm not saying I DO, is it REALLY worth getting arrested again and being put in jail? I've been acting good so far, gals. Ain't plannin' on changin' that."

Team ACMN looked at one another, searching for a way to convince Perci to come with. As much as they hated to admit it, with her around, the mission would go MUCH more smoothly, seeing as her ability to drain aura making her a powerhouse, to say the least. After some deliberation, Melody finally walked over, sitting next to Perci's bed, showing her some of her body's curves.

Once she had Perci's full attention, smirking as she looked at her, she spoke. "Alright, Perci... You like deals, right? I've seen you swindle students out of money and so on." She spoke seriously and sternly. Perci nodded, not being one to refuse a good chance to cheat someone out of something. "Then here's a deal for you... Come with us, and I'll go on a date with you."

The rest of the people in the room, sans Jin and Copper, stared in shock at her proposal. No one ever expected Melody, in the face of danger, to make such a reckless move. "And don't get me wrong, Perci." She clarified. "It's ONE date. Nothing more, nothing less."

Perci stared at her, the smirk on her face growing wider and wider by the second. "Alright, Love... One condition of my own, then." She raised her body to a sitting position. "if it goes well... I get a second one~" She winked at her, and Melody, doing her best to hide her blush, nodded once. While it wasn't totally worth it to go, and Perci knew it well, she was, in fact, curious. It wasn't every day one would get to fight Grimm in the city, after all. She figured she would deal with the consequences later, inching closer to Melody.

"F-Fine." Melody finally caved in, Perci relishing in her moment of victory, though as brief as it would be. "Y-You got yourself a deal."

"Oh, don't worry about it, Love." Perci took her hand, like a true gentlewoman, trying to give her a kiss on her palm before Melody pulled it away. "You won't regret it~" She could already picture Melody, in a tight, skimpy dress, strolling with her downtown, only causing Perci's grin to grow wider.

After the tension between the two finally died down, Ash cleared her throat. "Alright, so you're all on board. Now... For the mission itself." She sat down, spreading all the images she had on her for everyone to see, including new ones she took with her binoculars. "I've already taken pictures of the surrounding area, and I think that considering that in the past two days they've been doing this, we could catch them again tonight." She said as she gazed at the clock. At the very least, they had some time to rest, and so, it was almost time to leave.

Leila nodded, her grip on Caliborn growing tighter. "Foul sinners... I cannot believe they dare insult the Lord with such heresy." Her vindictiveness and zealotry showing their full splendor, Leila was no longer trying to keep her peace about her. "They will be punished by the Lord. That I swear." She concluded definitively, walking out towards Vale. The rest of the group looked at one another, before Perci shrugged.

"Welp. Guess it's go time then." She smirked, taking her cane and walking out herself. Soon enough, all eight of them were walking, side by side, heading to the Beacon station to take them to Vale. They were worried, to a degree, not knowing what would transpire or what will happen. But, despite all that, there was one thing that they knew for sure.

They were one team for tonight. And they were going to stick together.

* * *

About an hour later, the team reached their destination, settling on top of the cargo hold from which Ash took her photos. At this point, it was littered with just food and snacks, but none of them bothered to do anything about it, Leila only raising her eyebrow about the littering.

Perci's ankle band, as she expected, started flashing red light the moment she left her parole area. She figured it would take those morons some time to catch up with her, giving her a few good hours before she'd be arrested again, meaning she didn't have a lot of time to finish the mission, and go on that date with Melody. The thought that she actually managed it made her smirk to a degree, but regardless she kept her wits about her, remaining cool and collected. "Alright, so." She spoke after all of them got into position. "...What now?"

"We wait for them to show up. When they do, we barge in there and take them out before they can call another Grimm forward." Ash, visibly tired, explained the plan to her. "After that, we get rid of that keg they have in there. I shudder to think what would happen if it fell into the wrong hands." The rest of them agreed, and from there, the good old waiting game started.

Soon enough, the minutes turned to dozens, and to about an hour and a half. Team ACMN were all asleep at that point, besides Copper, who seemed oddly calm for a sleep deprived person. While she stood on watch, the rest of them, team JPLL included, decided to take a quick nap, gathering their strength before the upcoming fight. Eventually, Hue got up, her time to watch, tapping Copper on the shoulder and taking a spot next to her, with a bottle of water in her hands.

"Copper, you should get some sleep." She took the binoculars, watching the area. "if something happens and you are not ready, this entire mission could get compromised."

Copper waved her head. "Do not worry about my ability to function, Hue. I will work in peak condition when our targets will show themselves, I can assure you."

Hue quickly interjected. "The human body is not meant to work under sleep deprivation. Your vision could become blurry, your senses dull, and your perception of your surroundings weakened. This is no reason to idle about, Copper. It is a requirement for the mission that you get some sleep." She turned her face back, watching the others rest, Jin's hair serving as an excellent pillow for the entire group. "perhaps you should try and rest with Jin. I am sure that-"

Before she could finish her sentence proper, Copper, still looking down, tugged her shoulder. "It is time. They are here."

Hue quickly turned her head, watching them walking quickly to the warehouse door. She and Copper got straight to work, trying to wake up the rest of them, but by the time she managed it, about five minutes later, it was too late. The cultists already locked themselves inside of the building, leaving teams JPLL and ACMN stuck outside, and with no way to interact with them.

Perci was the first to sigh. "Well, we can't really do anything now, can we? I mean, staying up here at least." She suggested, the rest already standing up, and making their way down.

"Indeed." Leila gestured towards the locked doors. "We need to get in there, and as soon as we can. We mustn't let them conduct their foul ritual tonight, at any cost."

They looked at one another for a short while, considering how to approach the situation, as the sound of a screech pierced their ears, sending some of them into a panic. Perci, keeping her wits about her, sighed as she approached the door, channeling some of her excess aura into her hand. "Fine, fine... Since I see y'all are being too much of a bunch of pussies to get this party started... I'll just knock!" She brought her fist down, slamming it against the thin metal door, snapping them off their hinges with ease, and breaking them apart.

The sight that was revealed to the team made Leila's heart sink in vile disgust. Out of the now seven inside, most of them were on the floor, holding their heads and screaming, mad and incoherent words escaping their mouths, eyes almost popping out. The leader of the group, still keeping his hood on, covering his face, stood next to the keg of the black ichor, carrying the same logo Ash saw the last time. As another Beowolf was in the middle of making its way out, about three more already rushed to the door, directly at them. Perci didn't flinch whatsoever, punching one of the Grimm down the moment it came, while Leila jumped and brought her blade down at another one, slicing its head apart with the great force she wielded. As for the final one, Copper reacted quickly, bringing out a single drive and slicing it through its abdomen, killing the Grimm on the spot.

The man stared at them in shock, realizing he was spotted. "W-What the hell are you doing here?!" He shouted, anger building on his cloaked face. The more his rage grew, the more the entire group could feel it. A voice in their head. A splinter of themselves, trying to seduce them to commit the foulest of actions.

The moment she heard it, Jin's eyes narrowed in shock. So far, when someone asked for something from her, she always said yes. Auras had no reason to want to harm her, after all. But this aura... She could feel the malice oozing from it. She could feel it encompassing her, as if trying to take her apart, and Jin gave a pained scream, running back, curled into a ball and paralyzed by her own fear. The rest of them followed suit shortly after, feeling the madness eating away at their sanity calming down as they gained distance from the man.

"Y-Yeah! Stay back! It is time we finally brought it forth!" He laughed maniacally, his hood falling down and revealing his deranged, sickly face. He raised his hands, the people around him twisting in almost unnatural, painful ways, as more Grimm started to erupt from the keg. It was a slow stream, nothing the group couldn't handle, but regardless, the Grimm kept coming, most of the group unable to get any closer to the madman.

All, except Copper.

She started at the man silently, and started making her way. His face twisted in confusion. "W-What are you doing?! How are you resisting my power?!" He shouted distressed, his concentration breaking as he did. In that momentary slip of the mind, the ichor reacted, pushing out a Nevermore, though rather small, out of the black waters. It flew right at Copper, aiming for her first for some reason, and while she tried to react in time, she couldn't, getting pushed back and flying off, hitting the metal warehouse behind them, on the other hand.

"Copper!" Leila ran to her, raising her hands, ready to use her semblance to heal her wounds. "Please, remove your hands. I will heal you."

Copper waved her head. "Do not focus on me. I will be fine. For now, take care of the Grimm." Despite her cold tone, due to her emotionless state, it was filled with urgency and demand. Leila stared at her for a bit longer, contemplating her action, before deciding to acknowledge Copper's request, standing up and turning her attention to the steady stream of Grimm coming out of the ichor.

"What the fuck are we gonna do now?!" Perci called at them. "I ain't going anywhere NEAR that freak!"

To answer her question, Hue took out her katana, as it shifted in her hands, turning into a bow. She quickly pulled out an arrow, taking out the next Grimm in line with a well-placed shot. "Simple. We go long range."

Perci rolled her eyes, twisting the knob on her cane to transform it, as her trusty Tommy gun now laid in her palms. Leila was already spinning her barrel, Ash with her gun, Undine transforming her trident to a nasty looking harpoon gun, and Melody taking out her blade, pointing it at the Grimm coming at them while pressing the trigger on her sword's hilt. The six of them opened fire, flinging shots of dust and lead, mowing down Grimm after Grimm, as the war of attrition began.

For the next ten or so minutes, they did their best to keep the Grimm at bay. Weak and fragile, each newborn didn't take a lot of shots to take down, but the more they did, the more their opponent's anger at them grew, drawing out more and more Grimm to handle.

"GO AWAY!" He shouted at them. "I HAVE TO DO THIS! I HAVE TO CALL IT! THE VOICES! THE VOICES IN MY HEAD TELL ME TO! OVER AND OVER AND OVER AND OVER ANDOVERANDVOER..!" He started laughing maniacally, Grimm pouring out of the foul liquid. His power going out of control, driving more and more madness into those around him, ACMN and JPLL included, caused the barrel to crack. It struggled to keep its form, as claw marks started to form on it from the inside. The man, in a fit of cowardice, realized that it was about to snap, ditching the others behind and running to the back door of the warehouse, leaving it with haste, finally taking the maddening wave with it.

"Now's our chance! Let's take it out!" Leila called, as the six of them dashed inside, aiming to destroy the ichor container at last.

However, at that point, it was already too late.

The keg snapped in half, torn apart from the inside. Out of it, a single, solitary Beowolf appeared, snarling at them, while other Grimm around it stopped for a split second, turning their attention to their own. Before they knew it, the new Grimm lunged at one of them, biting its head, catching all of the group off guard, staring in disgusted shock as it bit into the other Grimm's flesh, consuming its own brethren before it could even decompose and disperse.

Once the horrid show finally ended, the group finally went into action, glancing at their surroundings. "Ash, Melody, Undine, take care of the people in there!" Leila shouted at them spinning her barrel to electricity dust. "We'll take care of the Grimm!" Ash nodded, as her team went to work, grabbing the unconscious victims of the maddening wave and dragging them to safety. As they did, Leila, Perci, and Hue protected them, taking out any of the Grimm that tried approaching the group.

All except the one Grimm.

It just stood there, shaking in place. It didn't try and attack them, nor did it try and consume any more of the other Grimm, as if having had its fill. Here and there it twitched, watching. Waiting. Building up to something that none of them had the time to deal with yet. Deciding it wasn't a threat right away, the group turned their attention to the active, more ferocious Grimm.

Once the last of the robed people was out and safe, and they finally turned their attention to the rest of the Grimm's numbers, it screeched. Something inside it changed, demanding the attention of the rest of the group, as its size shifted, growing more and more, reaching that of an Alpha with ease. Its head twitched in angles that shouldn't be possible for any living being, howling madly at anything around it.

Then... The mutations began. A second claw grew from its right arm, now having two lower arms, each armed with razor sharp nails. It didn't end, however, as the arm twisted more and more, square angels turning the claws into hooks of the most grotesque degree. Something busted from its back, as another leg made its place there, falling to the side motionless, before rising up in an instant, aimed at the only beings with aura close to it.

Hair kept falling and regrowing on its skin, a mockery of the cycle of nature and life itself. Eyes, red and menacing, started to form amongst the growing skin, redder and redder with each subsequent one, before its arms and tail were covered with red, glowing spots.

The bone on its face fell down, crumbling to nothingness within a matter of seconds. Beneath it, it's true face, one of no skin, and melded bone was revealed the group, Leila almost hurling at the mere sight. Before they could even react, it's right cheek started to morph, first forming a new set of jaws, as SECOND Beowolf face formed from underneath the twisted flesh, giving a small, high pitch howl to celebrate its birth. Soon enough, it fell to the ground, bone forcing its way onto their faces, hiding back the flesh, the eyes on the head enlarging, hungry and feral.

Small black tendrils started erupting from its back. Nowhere big enough to be of any use for combat, regardless, they kept forming, twisting the Beowolf more and more into something that seemed almost otherworldly in its origin. They wriggled about, as if learning their new environment, some of the eyes sticking to their sides as they grew.

Its left arm, being the next to change, started to shake and vibrate, growing more and more in length, before it couldn't even control it anymore, and it just fell prone on the floor, motionless. Its end shifted in form, hardening, and sharpening, the fingers melding together as the flesh was forcefully pressed into one, smoke covering it from the pain it felt until the transformation was done. When it settled, instead of a normal paw, the Beowolf had a giant, rock solid claw, almost as large as its tail, glistening in the moonlight almost like a diamond, made of horrid, black ichor.

It's back angled, twisting and bending. It could barely stand, let alone rise to its hind legs, as its entire body became twisted and disproportionate. At this point, it couldn't even be called a Beowolf anymore. None of them had any idea what it even WAS. Each of team JPLL simply stared in shock, Perci included, as the Grimm's bone plating, all over its body, became jagged and splintered, leaving no trace of the predator it was beforehand.

The thing reeked of the ichor if was born in. The smell, foul and utterly, absolutely nauseating, could only be described as the manifestation of madness and death themselves. The more it twisted, the harsher the stench grew around it, forming an almost cloud of snarled breaths and darkness.

It finally made a snarling sound. It managed to utter something, looking around, as if awakening from a deep, endless slumber. It sniffed the air, for just a second, realizing it wasn't alone. It had to feed, and the humans and faunus around it would serve a fine start to its new life.

And as the transformation neared its end, it raised on its hind legs. Both of its mouths opening at the same time, head almost reading the ceiling of the warehouse, they screeched one more time. A screech that could only herald the coming of something that was never meant to me. A screech that called forth for the destruction of everything and anything, a mad voice that knew no end.

Now it lived. And now it was going to kill.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh boy oh boy oh boy oh boy oh boy oh boy
> 
> I've been WAITING for this moment.
> 
> You better prepare yourselves, cause next chapter? Shit is gonna go DOWN!


	17. Eldritchan Night

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh shit this is gonna be so awesome I can't fuckin' way to show this to you guys.
> 
> Well, this is it. This is gonna be the ending chapter of Vol 1 of JPLL. I hope you enjoy, and I will see you at the end of the chapter. I have something small to explain.

The silence was overwhelming. None spoke, as the nigh otherworldly horror started back at them, drooling in a deranged desire to consume. It eyes the three who stood before it, ears twitching involuntarily, waiting for someone to make the first move.

None of them dared to try and move. The fear was gripping enough to make even Perci freeze in place, unable to bring herself to do anything against this new threat. She tried forcing herself, willing her legs to move, but she was frozen in place. Cursing her own body for her weakness, she took a deep, slow breath. That, THING, before them, caught her chest moving, snarling her turning his head entirely towards her as if trying to determine if she is worth being his first victim.

Leila and Hue couldn't move either. Stuck in place, afraid to even inch a the smallest of muscles, they watched in horror as the beast that should have never come to being turned its attention to their teammate. For the first time in their time as a team, Leila felt genuinely worried for her partner. She saw Perci tank a lot of really tough punches. She saw her deal them back just as hard, too. But this... This was beyond their scope. She gave a small, silent prayer to her Lord. She offered a prayer to anything out there, that could help them survive that night.

By now, team ACMN managed to guide the rest of the cultists to safety. Laying them a safe distance away, they tried running back, when they realized anything could set it off, stepping back slowly. The only one closer to the was Jin, who was still struggling with the aura that tried to hurt her very soul directly.

As the tension kept going, a single, solitary bead of sweat started to form on Perci's forehead, being forced to stare face to face with the hideous beast. It slid down, and despite Perci's best efforts to deter it without moving, stall made its way to her nose, hanging by the very tip. Perci eyes, still stuck to gazing at the Grimm, couldn't help but hope that something would happen, as the drip of sweat found its way off, falling to the ground.

It felt like forever; a single moment stretched out to eternity. She could almost envision her entire life flashing before her eyes, waiting for her fate to be sealed. Brief memories of her mother and father, despite how much she hated them, flashed before her eyes. The only thing left for Perci was to grip her cane as hard as she could, focusing her aura around her, hoping that when it lands, she'd still survive.

A second later, just as the bead merged with the ground, it roared. Opening both of its mouths, revealing a set of mismatching, sharp teeth. It shrieked, instigated, flailing its loose arm about, faster than any of them could react. Perci, caught off guard, was hit on her face directly, being launched by the sheer mass of power it had, flinging her like a twig onto the opposite direction. She slammed into the wall, falling to the ground in the open air, thankful that her aura was enough to at least ensure her survival.

The Grimm, without even turning its central head, thrashed its arm again. It hit one of the walls, ricocheting, and before Leila knew it, she was next in line to get every bone in her body shattered. She quickly raised her blade, though before she could react, a single arrow shot through, piercing the flesh near the end of it, and nailing it to the wall, the Grimm breaking it free soon after. "Hue..." She turned her head, watching Hue with her bow already drawn, taking another arrow to her hand and aiming it at the head.

"Leila, I will distract it. You focus on bringing it down!" It was rare of Hue to raise her voice to anything above room volume, but regardless, Leila nodded sharply, spinning her blade to ice dust. Hue complied as well, taking one of her arrows and sticking it one a specially built hatch in her quiver, taking it out and aiming an ice-elemental arrow at the Grimm's head. She shot it, but alas, it reacted quickly, raising its bi-ended arm to negate the attack, shrugging the ice forming on it with ease.

Leila's face grew more and more zealous, spinning her blade above her with both her hands. "And the l'rd endues down frost and bitter cold upon thee!" She called, reciting a verse from her Scriptures, launching a volley of ice flowers at the Grimm. Unlike the smaller, single arrow, it had less luck deflecting her strike, as each flower that hit exploded on contact, forming several explosions of ice on its body, and slowing it down to a degree.

It snarled again, hitting the walls with its frame to break the ice, and while it was busy freeing itself, Hue took the initiative, running at the Grimm with her blade transformed, coming to slice one of its arms off. She brought her blade down, striking with precision and force, but to her dismay, it left barely more than a mark, the Grimm quickly grabbing her with one of its active palms and lifting her to its mouth, already opening it wide to swallow her whole.

Just as Hue could feel the razor sharp jaws close around her, Leila intervened, running towards her, faster than ever, "HUE!" She shouted, jumping at it from the side, slamming her blade at the abomination's head, and staggering it just hard enough to force it to free her friend from its ironclad grasp. Hue fell, her strength losing her to a degree, Leila rushing to her side as the Grimm struggled to get it, its massive, dormant arm slowing it down.

"Hush. I will heal you." Leila quickly assessed the damage. Hue's arms were on the verge of breaking, and her body was wounded on the sides from the claws. She struck her arms into the ground, putting both palms around Hue's damaged areas, and while she started to pray, her semblance kicked in, forcing her arms to heal faster. Hue gasped weakly as she felt her body recover far quicker than it should have. An injury like this should have taken weeks to heal, if not months. It was as if a miracle was performed on her by her teammate.

She quickly got back up, jumped away from the Grimm as it finally recovered, Leila following suit. The two of them started at it from afar, trading worried glances as their readied their weapons. "This... Could be the end." Leila concluded, steeling herself. "If it is... Then it was a blessing to get to know you, Hue."

Hue looked at the despair vanishing from her eyes, nodding. She didn't intend for it to end, but some place in her knew that if she could help others survive and continue her research, she would be allright with it. Raising her blade, she cut out her emotions for the close while, focusing on the fight at hand.

"Oi... I hope you two ain't thinkin' about dyin' yet." They heard a familiar voice come from behind them. Perci walked in, body bloodied and hurt, a massive wound covering the right side of her face, one that would surely leave a scar. However, before Leila could even come to heal it, the wound closed right before her eyes, the massive aura she took from the unconscious cultists enough to replenish her supply, forming a scar just as predicted. She raised an arm, touching her new face, cussing under her breath. "Dammit, just when I thought I could keep those off my face..."

She raised her cane, and taking a stance, and looking at the rest of her team. "I got a bet goin', you see? Can't let you two bitches die just yet." She smirked, gazing at the monster before them. "Sides... No one smacks my face and gets away with it alive!" She shouted at it, and Leila and Hue couldn't help but smile.

It dashed at them again, mangling flesh stretched out to destroy the team once more. Perci didn't let up, however, catching its arm as it flung towards her, keeping it stable. While Hue and Leila gave an astonished look as to how she could have recovered her aura so quickly, Perci gave them an angered look. "Well, what the fuck are you looking at ME for?! Go?!" She tilted her head at the Eldritchan horror that brought down its second arm at the leaderless team.

Hue quickly jumped back, Leila raising her blade to shield herself while spinning the barrel to gravity dust. She kept blocking it, feeling a rush of power within her, constantly pushing back against impossible odds as Hue readied Lunnos Lamina, shifting it to a bow, and aiming an electrified arrowhead directly to its head, letting her hand loose and the arrow fly. It pierced the air, making a shrieking noise as it hit its mark this time, both the Grimm's arms being caught by Leila and Perci.

Its head was shot back, wincing in pain for just a brief moment, before launching a counterattack, flailing the claw arm one more time, and taking Perci with him. She kept tugging it for a short bit, trying to force it to push against her, before letting the arm go and using the knockback created by her opposing force to stagger the Grimm again, actually able to knock it down to its back.

"Let's end this!" Leila called first, rushing to drive her blade straight into the horror's eye-ridden stomach and stop the blight the madman brought upon her Lord's world. Unbeknownst to her, however, the leg on its back, bent as it hit the ground, launching it flying it her, hitting Leila head on as she was flung into the air, while the Grimm used the extra limb to quickly get back on its feet.

Hue caught her before she hit the ground. Leila coughed, her insides a mess thanks to the quick change in velocity, but regardless, stood back up, raising her blade. She gave Hue a single look, nodding that she can still go on, and before long, struck her sword onto the ground. The dust in her blade reacted to her aura, creating a powerful, gravitational field around the Grimm's body. It was pulled down, brought to kneel by the force of Leila's dust, struck down at least she'd run out of dust, which was approaching rapidly.

Perci took the chance, running up the Grimm. She flinched for just a second, but overcame her instincts to run, slamming her fists together as she prepared to give that motherfucker a beating of a lifetime.

"So, you think you can just SCARE me and get away with it?!" She blocked out her own fear with a rush of recklessness, forcing herself forward. Wisps of peach-colored aura, visible to the naked eye, started to form around her fists. "Well, it's useless!" She shouted at it when she was just close enough, bringing down a fist straight to its ugly ass face. "You hear me?! Perci Periwinkle Valiére will NEVER bow! Not to you! Not to ANYONE!" Her emotions came out, raw and wild, shouting at not just the Grimm, but the world around her. "It's useless! Useless! Useless! Useless! Useless!" She kept screaming, slamming empowered punch after empowered punch right on its bone plating.

However, she failed to realize Leila's dust ran out, and the gravity returned to normal.

While still managing to crack its prime mask to a degree, the Grimm didn't lay dormant anymore. It jumped, knocking Perci back, hitting Hue on the way, and dropping them both to the ground. Leila came to heal them, but by the time she was about to heal them with her semblance, it was already too late. The monster already descended upon the trio, jaws open and bite inbound.

And just as it came to consume her friends, Jin's eyes sprawled open.

Before they knew it, the bite each of them expected never came. Perci looked up, watching Jin holding it back, her massive strength enough to keep it at bay for just enough to let the others get away and for Leila to heal their injuries.

The Grimm roars, and Jin growls at it back, her primal instincts keeping her on top, while she struggles against the terror. It flings the arm around, trying to impale her from behind, as the ricocheting solid claw flung across the torn and tattered warehouse. However, when it would seem that it pierced Jin's back, her hair softened the blow, seemingly far harder than the average. She pushed it back, outright lifting the abomination, before throwing it away.

It slammed against the metal wall, knocking it over with tremendous force and breaking it apart. With barely anything to keep the roof held anymore, it collapsed, falling down on the team.

"Look out!" Leila was the first to react, jumping at the falling metal and slicing it apart with Caliborn, two halves of the broken structure falling to their sides. While still in the air, with the shattered moon above her, Leila focused her aura on the dust in her blade, readying fire, and unleashing her usual barrage of holy fire upon the horrid beast. While it was busy deflecting her attack, Hue and Perci worked quickly, Perci lifting her team member and launching her at it. She spun in place, her foot now at the helm, smashing into it with a kick, and using it as a contra to launch herself into the air.

Just as Hue was above the Mutated Grimm, Jin ran at it, screaming wildly. She felt it, something building up deep within her, as her face quite literally turned redder and redder, her skin and the dust covering her body gaining a new hue to it. Hue watched from the air, falling towards the monster with weapon drawn, aiming to strike it directly from above. When she realized she was getting on a collision course with her partner, she quickly changed plans, kicking it again, and jumping off, just as Jin lunged it with her dust claws.

She kept hacking the Grimm, almost as if she was trying to claw her way _through_ its body. Wisps of lightning covered her nails, electricity building up, and before she knew it, each swipe she made induced a highly concentrated shock to her opponent, driving it back. The pressure only heightened, the others staring as Jin finally unleashed what she was _truly_ capable of, screaming more and more while swinging her arms.

The Grimm finally retaliated, bringing down its left paws on her. Jin, acting quickly, caught them in her right palm, keeping the Grimm locked. On her other end, it swung the loose claw, forcing Jin to use her other arm to grab it to protect herself. Now, face to face, it bellowed straight to her face, in an attempt to make her flinch and finish her off.

The pressure in her throat was finally over the limit. Jin couldn't hold it back anymore, opening her boiling mouth and unleashing a roar of her own. As she did, the dust in her body reacted to her anger and rage, unleashing a fiery breath straight to the beowolf's face.

The rest stared at awe, the gentle giant they knew her being replaced with a fierce, pirmal guardian of all that was living. Jin's draconic breath managed to surprise the Grimm, pushing it back, and giving the team the opening they needed.

"YOU'RE MINE!" before Leila or Hue could react, Perci was already running straight for the monster, passing Jin on the way, and aiming her Anarchy Melodica straight for its face. "SwiIIIING bada bada bada!" She yelled, smirking all the while, delivering a crushing blow with her cane straight to its secondary face, crushing it at last. The horror staggered, falling back, the cheek that used to contain a face now a mess of melting ichor and horrid smell. Perci didn't let up, giving the smaller face a hook, though the bone proved more sturdy than she gave it credit for, her aura lessened greatly from the start of the fight.

The Grimm brought back its left arm, smacking her, Jin dashing to Perci's save, giving way for Leila and Hue to step in. Now, as it was weakened, the two of them worked like clockwork. Leila brought down her rain of fire, keeping the Grimm distracted, while Hue jumped onto its back, using her katana to slice the extra leg off, finally ridding it of the excess appendage. It bellowed in pain again, flailing the hardened claw in her direction. Hue, already seeing it coming a mile away, rolled away before it could strike her.

Perci started at Jin for a brief moment as she was let down to the ground again. Jin gave her a nod, as if recognizing her or something, running back to try and kill the menace. "Hold on..." Perci looked at her, trying to make sense of that look Jin gave her. "Hey hold on! That's MY kill!" She ran after her, turning her weapon to gun form, spraying the Grimm with a whole cartridge of bullets. As each of them hit it, it was pushed back a bit more, until it felt its mangled back hit the outer wall of another warehouse.

The whole team, gathered together, circled it. Jin and Hue from one end, and Perci and Leila from the other. Each of them had her weapons raised, aiming to finally kill this ungodly, disgusting mess of a creature, and save the rest of the world the horror of witnessing it.

It gave a sharp howl, still having some fight in it, flinging its arm to a metal pole, sticking from the wall behind it, and using it to fling itself to the roof. JPLL didn't let up, Perci leaning down to offer contra for the rest of them, watching Jin quite literally pierce the metal with her claws to climb after it.

After launching Hue after it, seeing her flung high into the air again, Leila brought her foot, putting it between Perci's hands, looking at her for a brief moment. "Thank you." She muttered, before Perci rolled her eyes and lifted her up, her extra strength letting her send the nun flying.

"Alright... Now for me." She sighed, bending down, focusing her aura to her legs. It was still a costly move for her to perform, but regardless, she managed it, kicking off the ground with a massive jump high into the air.

All four of them landed on the roof in front of it. The Grimm, already visibly weakened and hurt, tried to launch its spiraling claw at them again. Jin caught it, and Leila walked closer, raising her massive, wide blade.

"Now vanish." She concluded swiftly, lowering her blade and cutting off the extended tentacle-appendage, sending it howling in pain again.

Then, it tried bringing its other arm, split into two forearms, to slash them into ribbons. This time, Perci caught it, using the remains of her aura to keep it close just long enough for Hue to be able to slice the arm off as well.

Left armless and with no way to kill them easily, it roared, dashing at the group. Ichor was spilling out of its sides, a and the mask on its main head was already brittle. "You're mine!" Perci called, wanting to seize the chance and take the kill. She brought her fist forward, but the Grimm managed to avoid her, ramming its head into her abdomen. Perci rolled away, and Jin, screaming in anger again, lunged one last time, her nails filled with electrical charge. She locked eyes with the beast one last time, her precision deadly and accurate.

And her claws finding their way firmly into its skull.

Her hand sunk into its head. It froze, twitching in place, while Jin had almost her entire arm deep through its skull, jaw, and so on, bits of lightning escaping her fingers. She pulled it out, her whole arm covered with ichor and reeking like death itself. From there, it didn't move a whole lot more. Some parts of it tried to struggle, but fortunately, it was too late for it to survive. It fell to the floor, twitching and spamming, as the rest of its body started to decay, leaving nothing behind.

All Leila could do was pant heavily, leaning on her blade as support. "We..." She muttered, struggling to hold her weight as the fatigue from all along finally hit her. "We... Won."

"Guess we did, eh?" Perci struggled back to her feet, walking closer to the nun. "Shame, though. I really wanted to get that first kill..." She chuckled, coughing as she did, covering her mouth with her hand. She brought to forward, feeling some warm liquid on her palm, looking at it and realizing she was bleeding. "Ah... Shit."

Hue walked closer, inspecting the wound. "Hmm... I believe that you should make a full recovery. However, you will need some extra aura for that."

Perci rolled her eyes. "Thank you, Captain Obvious." She coughed again. "Maybe I'll call you next time when I need something I already know explained to me." Despite her sarcasm, there was no malice in her tone. Perci looked at her, smirking. "Anyway... Good going. Wish I could use a sword so well."

"It comes with the practice." Hue admitted. "Now..." She pointed to the now ruined warehouse, where their friends were waiting for them. "Shall we?"

Jin walked heavily towards them, a tired, but happy smile on her face. "S-Safe... W-We're... Safe..." She cooed, almost falling from exhaustion. This time, it was Perci's turn to walk over and assist her, as the four of them jumped from the roof back to the ground level. They walked back, seeing the path of destruction they left in their wake.

"So... Who pays for the mess?" Perci spoke weakly. "N-Not it." She managed to put out before Leila glanced at her.

"Perci... Please, don't talk. You might hurt your voice if you keep this up. Just wait until you have enough aura to heal." She gave her a minute lecture, and for a change, Perci complied, shutting her trap and looking at Jin with a hint of admiration. Sure, the brute could barely think like an average person, but she'd be damned if Perci couldn't respect her overwhelming force.

When they finally reached the rest of the group, team ACMN stared at them with disbelief. Ash walked towards them, slowly, peering over to make sure none of them were dead. "You guys... Just took THAT thing out." She wasn't even sure that in her sleep-deprived state she was seeing things straight.

After her, Melody walked over. She gazed at the horror, the fight that just occurred still playing in her mind, as she managed to utter but a single phrase. "...Holy shit." Melody stepped back again, the horror's visage still fresh on her psyche. She knew that being a huntsman was dangerous, but this? Fighting these types of abominations on a daily basis? The image of her doing that was still far, far away from her mental image of herself.

Perci let Jin sit down, walking towards Ash. She raised a hand, asking for aura wordlessly, and Ash, realizing what she wanted, lent her a hand. "Alright... I guess you _should_ have some help, after that." She breathed, feeling Perci's semblance drink her aura away, leaving her dry. After that, Perci opened her mouth, trying to speak, and when realizing that making abstract noises didn't make her throat hurt, tipped her hat to Ash.

"Right... Thanks for that, Detective." She showed some gratitude, and walked over to Melody. "Now... I believe that was some date mentioned in this mission?" She leaned a bit closer, hoping that Melody would fill her end of the bargain.

"Well... Can we do this another time? I know, I promised, and I will, but.." Melody stuttered, Perci raising an eyebrow as the rest of them looked at her.

"But what? Come on love, I don't have all time." Perci groaned.

"Perci, please." Melody beseeched her. "I need some time to process everything that just happened. And, well..." She then pointed to Perci's back, showing her the police was surrounding them. "...That."

* * *

From there, the VPD took care of the scene. The cultists were all taken into custody, though for the most part none of them could have given the investigators any coherent response as to what happened there. Some quick thinking on Ash's and Hue's part, and the two teams managed to find plausible stories as to what happened there that night. The madman who started this cult ran off, but for now, none of them could care.

Most importantly, however, was Perci's situation.

A few days later, having broken her parole, she was taken into the arrest as well, waiting for her full trail to begin. She didn't expect anything else but being declared guilty, and being sent back to jail proper. She laid on the small cell bed, staring at the ceiling, and wondering if it was even worth sacrificing all of it on the off chance that she'd get some pussy.

"Hey, you." The guard came to her, and Perci turned her head to him, gaze glazed and uninterested. "You got a visitor. Says he's some headmaster or something?" Realizing who he was talking about, Perci jumped back up to her feet, tapping her foot on the ground.

"Alright, then. Bring 'em over." She nodded, and he shrugged, calling the man, as Professor Ozpin walked into the small station, taking a seat and placing it in front of her cell.

He looked at her for a brief moment. She was still hurt, and with a new scar to boot, but regardless, she was alive, staring him in the face with a mix of hope and discontent. "Hello, Perci." He addressed her, Perci nodding back and sitting back on her bed.

"So, what now? I go back to the slammer, and that's the end of my parole?" She didn't expect any favors. She broke the rules and got arrested again. From here, no one in their right mind would give her any special attention.

"Perhaps. I think the more salient question is why you did it." He leaned in. "What drove you to actually willingly break your parole?"

Perci leaned against the wall. "I dunno." She played dumb, staring at nothing in particular. "I guess my team needed me? Really it was just dumb from the get go. We fight a bunch of crazy people and viola, I'm in jail again." She chuckled, shaking her head lightly. "Talk about the opposite of clever..."

"That's all I needed to hear." Ozpin smiled gently, getting up. He then turned to the guardsman. "Can you please release Ms. Valiére from her confinement? If she stays here any longer she'd miss some very vital lessons in Beacon."

Perci's head fell, looking at Ozpin with sheer confusion. "...Excuse me, what?" She muttered, the rookie policeman shaking his head with her. Ozpin then handed him a stash of papers, neatly organized in a folder.

"I have discussed this with the consul before coming here. They have agreed to resume her parole, seeing as her behavior so far was rather good and clean." He grinned, walking towards the door, and opening it, coyly stepping out. "Besides, she had done a service for Vale. Surely, this can be ignored." He walked out, leaving Perci speechless.

Her bonds loose, she stepped out of her cell. Walking outside of the station, she was surprised to see the rest of her team, as well as team ACMN, all waiting for her outside. Hue, Leila, and Jin walked closer first. "Welcome back, Perci." Leila smiled, fixing her glasses a bit.

"Huuuuugs!" Jin cheered, taking Perci in her arms and giving her a crushing hug again. The rest of the group couldn't help but chuckle as Perci started cussing, barely able to struggle free from Jin's fuzzy, yet deadly hugs. Shaking her in her embrace a bit, Jin finally let her down, and Perci spun a bit in place, dizzy.

"Y-You fuckin..." She felt disoriented, but regardless stood up. "Oh yeah, before I forget." She realized something, turning to the rest. "Did they ever find that crazy motherfucker? That one that started this whole mess?"

The rest exchanged worried glances, Leila finally being the one to speak up. "...No. They did not. We... Decided to try and solve this case between us."

Perci couldn't help but snicker. "So what? Now we're a fuckin' weekend morning cartoon gang? Where's the talking dog and the extremely unsanitary van?"

"Ha ha, very funny." Ash mimicked her tone, and the rest chuckled, walking back towards Beacon. As Perci walked with them, she felt something she hadn't felt in a long, long time. It was a feeling she didn't even remember, and as it washed over her, she couldn't help but smile.

She felt like she belonged.

* * *

Meanwhile, around Vale's slums...

He sauntered the streets of Vale. Ever since the incident, the voices in his head only grew stronger, whispering of things that were before. Things of beings that no longer walked Remnant. People outright avoided the hood covered man, feeling nauseated and distressed just by proximity, though he clearly didn't care at this point. He simply made his way to another storage unit, opening it up, and staring inside, a mad smile forming on his face.

Kegs. Barrels of ichor, stolen from the time he still used to have a steady job at that wretched company. He could still remember his boss' stern voice, and his strange attraction to the harbingers. That's what they were called now. The voices named them that, over and over. He grinned maniacally, walking closer to one of the kegs. He could almost feel it. That same power. It was laying there, just waiting to be called out.

Waiting to be called out and consume the world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woo! That was something, wasn't it? I hope you enjoyed, and now, a word:
> 
> This is how I'm going to work with each Volume. As you've seen, I have been releasing them consistently for every day for the past two weeks or so. Now, I will take a single week's break, and return next weekend with the beginning of Vol 2. Then vol 3, and so on. AFTER that, once I've caught up with the show proper, I will take a hiatus, and wait for the end of Vol 5 to come out myself.
> 
> Or not, maybe I'll just do my own Vol 5. We'll see how it goes, I actually have a lot of ideas for later on.
> 
> Regardless, this is Arch, signing out. I hope you enjoyed the first Volume of Jaspilite, and I'm eager to see you all next week!


	18. Worst Day ever

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone, I'm back! The last week was awesome, got me NieR: Automata (That game is like, amazing, totally recommend,) and now, after resting and planning, time for me to bring up chapter 1 of Vol 2! I hope you all enjoy Vol 2 as it rolls on, and I will see you all tomorrow!

"Good God... Why me?"

Those were the words Perci uttered, for the most part, sitting in the cafeteria with the rest of her team, as well as ACMM, eating lunch peacefully. It was just about the beginning of their second semester in Beacon, and for the most part, sans small scuffles between people and the sort, the two teams managed to get some time for themselves, relax, and enjoy their time with each other's company.

So far, Perci had her large plate mostly finished. She held a chewed out rip in her hand, leaning back in her chair, rolling her eyes as Leila gave her a stern glare, her own plate consisting of nothing but vegetables and dairy products.

"Because, Perci, we do not appreciate the murder of animals. The Lord has given life to all of us as equals, and taking another's is a grave sin." She replied swiftly, returning to her meal in small, rapid bites. As part of her religion, Leila led a vegetarian lifestyle, and seeing Hue was a herbivore Faunus, and Jin was... Jin, Perci was left as the only meat eater in an entire time of freaking tree huggers.

"Of course, this goes beyond just faith and tradition." Hue continued, eating slowly and chewing her meal carefully. "There are several scientific studies that heavily discourage the consumption of meat products. Eating vegetables alone will give you all the nutrients you need on a daily basis."

"Yeah! Mama told me that I should only eat plants!" Jin, trying to join in the conversation, exclaimed from her seat, unlike the rest of her team, her fork was entirely clean, and she had no knife next to her, seeing as no one of them trusted her to handle sharp objects. Of course, she didn't mind, eating with her bare hands, almost like a cave person.

Perci grumbled, rolling her eyes again, as the slight sound of a snicker caught her attention, turning her head over to look at the members of team ACMM, sitting across them, and enjoying their own mean. Unlike Jin's team, all of ACMM enjoyed all kinds of food, though Copper for the most part barely ate anything, sipping on some water, after already finishing her meal of nothing more than a single pancake, which she didn't even finish all the way through. Perci looked up, to see Undine barely able to hide her laughter, Ash grinning to herself while slicing up some more steak, and Melody sipping some water, trying to avoid Perci's direct gaze.

"...And what's so funny, Fish face? Mind explainin'?" She asked her, giving Undine an unamused look. She didn't have the patience, nor the nerve, to deal with Undine's bullshit laughter.

The fish faunus giggled for a while longer, finally calming down with a large gulp of juice. She looked Perci in the eyes, one side of her lips curling upwards. "Oh, I dunno... Just, hearing you four bicker and argue about this sort of shit really make me laugh..." She rolled that last word on her tongue for a while longer, as if trying to instigate her friend, laughing as Perci started to grunt and grumble to herself.

Ash swallowed her meal, leaning forward, and looking at the annoyed delinquent, a hint of mischief gleaming in her eyes. "She got a point you know. It is sort of adorable." She concluded, tapping Melody on the shoulder, bringing her attention back to the group's conversation. "Ain't that right Mel?"

Melody, caught in some daydream for the most part, snapped back to reality, looking at the group flustered and confused. "Hmm-wha-who? Umm... Yes?" She tried to guess the correct answer, only to receive some laughs from the rest of her team, as well as Perci, who's mood got lifted by the small event. She straightened up in her chair again, taking her fork, and stuffing her mouth full of some more meat, barely chewing on it before attempting to swallow a literal mouthful at once, slightly choking before drowning it with water, helping her wash it down.

"Perci, please..." Leila couldn't help but turn her head to the side at the gross display of human vulgarity and poor eating habits. "At the very least, cut your food into smaller pieces before you really choke yourself."

Perci shrugged again to her words. "Eh, bite me Nun. I do what I want!" She chuckled loudly, twirling her fork in her hands. Suddenly, she lost control of it, and it slipped through her fingers, flying and planting itself in her legs, sticking in. "Ah, son of a fuck!" She quickly pulled it out, assessing the damages, only to see the fork merely pierced her skin, wounding her lightly. She turned her attention to Leila again, this time putting her best impersonation of puppy eyes. "Hey, Leila..."

Leila raised a hand, stopping Perci before she could finish her sentence. "Fine... I'll heal you. But you have to swear to me to cease being so reckless with silverware." She got up, Perci nodding repeatedly before she stood by her side, putting both hands on the open wound. "O l'rd, prithee guideth thy holiness through thy humble s'rvant" She gave a small prayer, her semblance triggered by her faith and call. Her palms began to glow lightly, as Perci could feel the wound on her leg slowly closing in, returned to the point before the incident. However, despite that, the holes in her suit were still apparent.

She nodded in gratitude to Leila as she returned to her seat, to continue her meal proper. "Thanks, Nun. Shame you couldn't do anything about the suit..." She sighed, twirling the fork in her hands again, though slower this time. "...Oh well, guess I'll saw it together when I'm back at the dorm."

From there, as the group settled in to finish their meal, a certain silence fell upon the group. A silence that carried with it, to a degree, a topic that until now they didn't discuss. A subject that, on some level, they didn't WANT to discuss, but would have to. Each of them knew it well. What they saw at the industrial district a few weeks prior... Since then, they barely mentioned it, each for her own reasons. Regardless, with the advent of their second semester in Beacon Academy, a certain need to see things though fell upon the group. So far, it was time to rest.

That time was soon to be over.

Ash was the first to clear her throat, putting down her silverware after fully finishing her meal. She eyed the remainder of the team and JPLL quietly, sighing after a while with muffled grunt. "Alright... I think it's time we talked about _that._ " The rest already knew what she was going to say, and everyone besides Jin, who was lost in her pretty little world, turned their attention towards the detective.

"What's there even to say?" Perci replied first. The rest kept their attention of both of them, quiet so far. "I'm still not even sure what the fuck that thing WAS. What matters is that it's dead, and done with." She tried to conclude, Ash cutting her by clearing her throat.

"And then what, huh? What happens if this happens again? We have no idea who did it, WHY they did it, and most importantly..." Her mood grew more and more somber, as her face lowered, looking grim. "We don't know if he could do it again."

Perci quickly came to interject. "Oh please. The barrel was destroyed and done with. There's no way."

"Oh yeah? And who's to say that was the only barrel he had? Who's to say that he won't try summoning grimm a second time into the city?" Ash became more and more resolute in her stand, physically standing up in front of them. "I don't know about you guys, but I'm not gonna sit quietly while some... MADMAN goes around, summoning grimm straight into civilian areas. If none of you are going to do something, I don't care. I'm going to get to the bottom of it." She spoke vividly, and clearly. Her voice contained not a single hint of doubt in her actions, as the mystery was both too fascinating for her to skip out of, and the fact that people's lives were at stake meant she couldn't let herself be held back.

Second to rise, almost a few seconds later, was Leila. "Indeed. The Lord did not create these lives for us to ruin. Whoever they are, even if they cannot do it again, they must be brought to justice. Such is the divine law of the Lord." Her gaze was cold and distant. Leila only had one thing on her mind, and one thing alone, and was justice for the atrocities caused by the cultist.

"...You know what?" Undine looked at them, smiling. "I think you're right, Ash. We can't let something this dangerous go around, and cause havoc. So yeah, I think I'll stick around for this one too." She joined the others on her legs. In all honestly, she didn't quite care for the mystery or for justice, but the adventure was gonna be packed with action and awesome moments, she was sure of it. After that, she looked over to Copper. "You're gonna join us too, right C? Seemed like you weren't affected by that guy's semblance thing, right?"

"Indeed." Copper quietly stood up. "I possess the power to negate the madness he emitted. I am vital to this mission, and will assist in any way I can." She gave a curt bow, returning to sitting again.

"You do have a point." Now, it was Hue's turn to join the fray. "If I allow this to go on, the chaos that would ensue would hinder my research and progress. I'll help out as well, with my mind if not my combat skill." Ash gave her a thumbs up, as well as a smile, Hue nodding back in response. While her intentions weren't as pure as some of the others, an extra pair of hands was always welcomed.

Melody stared at the rest of her friends, each standing up and pledging to help in this mystery and investigation. While some parts of her were screaming at her to decline, and back down before she could get hurt, something else stirred inside of her as well. So far, in her life, she was never one to take direction action against something like this. She was almost always the first to just run away, and back off.

And she wanted to change.

"Alright." She got up, shaking lightly, to the surprise of the others. "I-If all of you are going to fight these things... Then I'll join too!" She called out, trying to mask her own cowardice, only to receive another pat on the back from Ash, who nodded in gratitude. Melody smiled gently, sitting back down as quickly as she got up.

Perci looked at the rest of them. Each with her own reasons, and yet, now standing as one in the face of this would be threat. Now, that Melody agreed to help them out, she knew she didn't have much of a choice if she still wanted to keep a good impression. She slowly got up, putting a hand on the table and leaning on her arm. "Alright, alright... if ALL of you are going to do this shit, I'll tag too. Happy now?" Her face turned towards Leila and Ash.

"Just... _Peachy_." Ash snickered as she answered, Perci giving her an angered glare, before groaning at the horrible pun. Regardless, she stood up, staring at the group, now a part of whatever mess they were going to get themselves into.

"Yeah!" Jin jumped in her seat, actually pushing the table back from her sheer size. All of them were caught off guard by her sudden action, and while waiting for her to speak about something none of them understood, she instead simply looked at everyone standing, smiling just as radiantly as she ever did.

As the entirety of the eight of them agreed on what to do, they sat down, satisfied, returning to their meals. All, with the exception of Leila, who remained nervous to a degree, a tad worried. Perci noticed her gaze, recognizing what it meant, and whistled sharply to get her attention. "Oi, Nun. Somethin' up?"

Leila only nodded her head, pointing with her head to another table, where a group of students in Haven uniforms were sitting down. There was a large, almost primal looking lion faunus with a giant axe strapped to his back, as well as a lion's mane, guzzling down meat even faster then Perci. A quiet boy with pearl white eyes, eating in petite bites, trying to relax, as well as a short, androgynous looking person, sitting on what seemed like a bubble. However, none of them mattered to Leila at the moment, compared to the last person of the team. A thin, tall girl, her posture straight and tall, almost like she was royalty, eating while looking at Leila's direction.

Or at least, that was the feeling Leila got, considering the girl had a large, opaque porcelain mask, covering the upper side of her face, hiding her eyes, as well as nose and ears, behind a clean, white mask.

She couldn't get a good reading on this person whatsoever. Her face was generally pointed towards Leila, but beyond that, the mask made it impossible to say anything about her. Leila couldn't help but avoid staring back, thinking it was rude regardless, turning back her attention to her teammates. "Hmm?" She acknowledged Perci's question, tilting her head and quietly returning to her meal. "Yes. I am... Fine." She stuttered a bit at the end.

Perci quickly caught on, looking at the team from Haven. By their age, they were clearly at least third years, if not fourth years, each of them a potential threat. "...They lookin' at you funny?" She asked, clenching her fists together. Leila quickly gave her a fierce, almost angry glare.

"Perci, no. My worries are my own. I will not let you ruin the cafeteria with a fight." She shut her down as quickly as Perci came to act, utterly refusing to allow such mayhem to occur on her watch.

Perci, getting the hint, rolled her eyes, leaning back with her arms crossed. "Whatever... It's not like I was gonna do anything drastic anyway, but have it your way I guess." She sighed, trying to pass some time until the rest of the teams finally finished their food, Perci herself already full and sitting with an empty plate in front of her. While she would usually take her plate and leave the others to their own devices, for some reason, she felt like sticking around for a bit, if only to see if Leila would change her mind. "Besides, it's not like something's gonna happen, ri-"

Before she could even finish her semblance, Leila's face was already submerged almost entirely in what could only be described as an aerial pie.

Before Perci could burst into laughter herself, she realized what was going on: A full on scale food fight, seemingly starting from another table, filled the cafeteria, chaos reigning. She quickly got up, not even bothering to take her tray with her. "Welp seems like my time here is UP! I ain't gonna get this suit dirty!" She darted out, running through the now battlezone, doing her best to dodge the remains of food flying around. Around her, the rest of the students who realized it was probably not a wise idea to stay in this mess, read, almost all of them, hurried in droves out of the hall, to the safety of the outdoors.

Stepping outside, Perci looked back, only to see the rest of her team followed suit, as well as ACMM. Leila was first, bursting out of the hall with pie in her hair as well as a stained robe, with Hue dragging Jin out by force, as no one was gonna clean that hair if it got too dirty. After her, Ash, Melody, Undine and Copper rushed out, looking at as only teams RWBY and JNPR, at least from what any of them could tell, stayed inside, various shouts of battle filling the hall.

After seeing one of them being launched out the roof high into the air, Perci lifted her hands, turning to the dorms. "Got one thing to say about that, people." She spoke up, before coming to walk away. "Fuck this shit, I'm out!" She started humming a certain tune, walking away backwards, before bumping into someone behind her.

"Oi, watch-" She turned around, looking at this would be asshole, realizing that it was the one and only Ozpin, as well as furious looking Glynda, behind her. "It..." She quickly jumped back, putting some distance between herself and the headmaster, watching them step inside, seemingly to discipline the mess. A short minute after, as well as one Yang Xiao Long falling back to the ground, the chaos mostly dispersed, Ozpin and Glynda stepping out.

"Ms. Valiére, can we please have a quick word?" Ozpin called her, and having no other option, she stepped towards him, hands in her pockets, while the rest of her team and friends decided to wait for her.

"What is it?" She asked, impatience in her voice. "You better not say what I think you're gonna say..." She only took one glance inside the cafeteria to know that this wasn't going to end well. While Glynda managed to fix the broken tables and holes in the walls and roof, her semblance did not, alas, magically cleaned everything. Juice was still plastered all over the back wall, cans, sauce, and mashed food covered the floor, and even the tables, fixed ones included, weren't all squeaky clean. In one instant, she realized that he was serious. "...Nope! I ain't cleanin' that fucking shit! Fuck that!" She protested, fiercely defiant to the idea of cleaning someone else's mess.

Despite her protests and cussing, Ozpin kept a cool demeanor. "Well, unless you want to get your little arrangement sorted out, I am afraid you don't have another choice in the matter." He explained. "The council didn't like your little escapade last semester, and decided to impose some community service hours as punishment. Which means..."

* * *

"Oh, you gotta be FUCKING KIDDING ME!"

It's been about thirty minutes since Perci was forced to clean the mess left behind in the cafeteria. While Ozpin promised her that the others wouldn't go unpunished, she had this distinct feeling that he was full of shit, like everything else in the fucking room. The sleeves of her suit were rolled up, both pants and shirt, and she was holding a mop, going over the same patch of filth over and over for the past couple of minutes, trying to get it as clean as she could. One thing she learned in her life was to do a good job at something you're forced to do, even if you hate it, to make sure you don't have to do it again. While working on the floor, she heard a knock on the door, turning her head in seething anger, expecting Ozpin to come over to check on her progress. The gigantic painting in soda still waiting for her on the wall, she walked over to the door, cussing loudly over and over, finding new and improved ways of threatening someone with death.

To her surprise, however, it was Leila, now cleaned after the pie fiasco, stepping in carrying a mop and a bucket of water and soap of her own. She came inside, walking closer to Perci. "I have come to assist you in cleaning the cafeteria." She explained briefly, soaking her mop in water. Before she could start cleaning, however, Perci blocked her movements, parrying her mop with her own.

Perci gave her one, simple glare. "Alright, spill the beans, Nun. What gives?" She asked. Under no circumstance would she believe Leila would willing come to help her, out of the goodness of her heart, despite how holy she thought she was at times.

"I'm only here because the place is filthy, and I eat here every day. So, I decided to come and help you clean this mess as quickly as possible." After she had spoken, Perci backed down, stepped back and looking at the stains, still covering the area. She still had a long way to go, and while it was still odd for her, having Leila around to help certainly won't make things any slower.

Perci shrugged, returning to the meticulous task of making the cafeteria habitable again by anything that wasn't an animal. After a while of silently cleaning the area, not a sound passing between the two, Perci finally lifted her head, a question on her mind. "Oi, Nun."

"What is it?" Leila didn't meet her gaze, still focusing on the floor tiles, making sure each of them had her reflection in them before moving to the others.

"I gotta ask..." Perci paused, taking a deep breath. "How are you so... Well..." She tried to come up with a proper term, or at least, one that wasn't insulting or demeaning. "...Clean?" It was something that Perci couldn't quite fathom. She knew people. She knew people very well, in fact. She's seen all sorts of little shits go around Vale, each more rotten than the last. But for some reason... She never saw Leila do even a single thing wrong. She always got to class strictly on time, woke up for her prayers exactly on the mark, cleaned after herself, made sure to help anyone in need she could. This sort of niceness was something Perci usually attributed to weakness, or just outright idiocy.

"If you mean how am I not a ruffian like you, the answer is simple." Leila stopped cleaning, looking back at Perci with a cold gaze. "The Lord guides my actions. I follow his words, and his Scriptures, and I follow them to a tee. That is all." She kept it rather brief, continuing to clean.

"Yeah but like," Unsatisfied with her answer, Perci put the mop back in the bucket, walking closer to the nun. "What do you GET out of it? No way you'll put up with a book telling you how to live your life if you didn't get SOMETHING from doing it, right?" Believing her logic to be sound, she pressed her question. This was, of course, the one thing she knew for certain in her life. At the end of the day... It was all about reward versus risk.

By now, Leila stopped cleaning as well. Hope glimmered in her eyes, thinking this might be her chance to show Perci the light. She straightened her back, turning to her teammate in full. "That, too, is simple Perci." She started to explain once more. "The Lord is our creator. Our guide. He leads us towards the afterlife, of eternal peace and happiness. But, to attain that peace, one must face many trials before they are allowed into his garden. And so, I have dedicated my life to follow his rules and laws. That is the only way." She ended on a gentle, soft smile.

"Oh yeah?" Thinking back to her own life, Perci quickly turned to frowning. "And what about people like me, eh? What do _I_ get, eternal fire and punishment or some shit?"

Sensing the anger in her tone, Leila quickly reacted by shaking her head. "Oh no, nothing of the sort. Those who are deemed unworthy will simply be reincarnated into the world once more, to live another life, until they are ready to move to the afterlife." She tried to make it clearer for her. "At the end of the day, it is up for each of us to do their very best."

"Well, you know what I think?" Perci, while less angry, was still in a foul mood. She didn't like this idea. Not. One. Bit. "I think that everything you just said is bullshit. The only one who gets to tell me what is right or wrong is me. And any god out there that THINKS they're better than me better be ready to get my fist up there ass."

Seeing her chance lost, Leila shook her head. She knew, in some place, that she couldn't actually convince Perci to become a convert. "Regardless of that... The Lord loves each and every one of us. You too, Perci." Now, finding some peace in her heart, Leila resumed cleaning the floor, while Perci took a piece of Velcro and started to tend to the wall painting, removing it slowly.

Another knock was heard on the door, as a rather young man, at least in his thirties, entered the cafeteria. He looked at the two of them, two thick rimmed glasses around his eyes, as well as short, very well kept yellow hair. "Perci, Ozpin requested you stop cleaning for now and attend your therapy." He told her, waiting by the door.

Perci groaned for a bit, putting down her Velcro on one of the tables, walking over to the door. "Yeah yeah yeah, just give me a second asshole." She gruffed, passing by Leila. "Yo, I gotta go with the doc for like an hour. Can ya hold the fort until I come back?"

Leila nodded, keeping her gentle smile. "Alright. Just go ahead, I'll clean what I can before you return." She then tuned out the rest, focusing on the floor again, looking over for just a second as Perci went outside with Dr. Topaz Engany to his small office in Beacon's main building, for her therapy session.


	19. Investigating Begins

As yet another Beacon day drew to a close, teams JPLL and ACMM gathered together, sitting down in team ACMM's dorm room, gathered for the evening to discuss the grimm they encountered a few weeks past. The walls already had foam boards on them, with several articles from newspapers, cut together and tied by strings. On another wall, she had a map of Vale, where she pointed out activities of cultists like the ones they saw, the information courtesy of her father, keeping is old ears out just in case.

As she suspected, they never stopped. People in odd robes walking the industrial district started popping up here and there, and despite the VPD making their best efforts to arrest them and contain them, none so far even gave a hint of a name. All they could tell was that it was a man, and that the voices commanded him. As for the meaning of those voices, she only had her own memories of that night to recount by, and she tended to avoid remembering anything from those.

The door knocked, three times, then a second pause, then another one. She gave a quiet nod, and Copper went to the door, opening it up and letting Perci, Leila, and Hue step inside, each of them taking a seat and waiting for Ash to finish looking at her board, turning her attention to the trio. "Uh... Where's..."

"Jin?" Perci quickly filled out the rest of that sentence. "Yeah, Lil' brutty was sent to that psychologist's office for what I could only assume is 'trying to understand what the fuck she IS.' They've been doing that for quite a while, so I don't think she'll be joinin' us today." She slumped down, picking Melody's bed in particular to sit on. "Not that it matters much. Doubt she'd remember anything."

Her remark, while true, was met with a few glares, particularly from Leila. "Regardless, I will scribe what we'll talk here and debrief her later on." She pulled out a pen and paper, lifting them to her face level, scribbling a few things before returning her attention to the group.

Undine look at her, a bit confused. "Why don't you just use your scroll to record it?" Her question was only met with a slightly flustered Leila, looking away, having no idea how to operate the scroll to do all that. Undine chuckled, and took a deep breath, to calm herself down. Now wasn't just the time for laughs and giggles. Now was the time for actual, serious work.

"Right, so where were we?" Ash finally started the meeting, presenting the rest of the teams with her investigation board so far. "I think, first and foremost, we should come up with a name for the Grimm we encountered. Would save us a lot of trouble later down the line. Any suggestions?" She looked, as the rest of them sank into thought, trying to discern some good name for such a hideous monstrosity.

"Hmm..." Hue was the first to raise her hand, thinking silently. "How about... Eldritchan Grimm? In case we encounter anything like it again." She suggested, the rest having no real issues with it.

"What, like those horror books?" Perci asked out of nowhere. "You know the ones, those with the people who have to face giant monsters and go crazy and shit."

Hue couldn't help but sigh at the broad simplification of some of her favorite books, nodding regardless. "That's a... rough, estimate of what they are, but yes, that would be correct." She concluded, turning the suggestion to Ash.

As she mentioned the grimm again, Melody couldn't help but shudder a bit in place. At the end of the day, she was still deathly scared of that monster, and the mere thought of having to encounter more like it in the future almost made her want to run away and never look back. Noticing her shaking, Perci put a hand on her shoulder, in an attempt to calm her down. "Oi, Love. Anything wrong?" Her question was as direct as ever, not giving Melody any window to just fake it.

"Y-Yeah..." She muttered to the side. "P-Please don't tell me we'll have to fight things like that again..." She came off as a bit desperate, not knowing what to do with herself, Perci tapping her on the shoulder again.

"Ah, don't worry about it." She reassured her. "Next time somethin' like that comes, I'll kill it before it could land a single claw on your hair." While Perci tried to act charming, Melody couldn't help but look to the side. Yes, it was nice to know someone would protect her, but at what cost? She couldn't be a damsel in distress, not anymore. She came to Beacon to learn how to fight, and that's what she was going to do.

She looked at Perci, determination in her eyes. "Actually... Don't. When something comes again, I'll be able to deal with it _myself_." of course, this was a lie, and she knew it quite well. She was still shaking in her pants, but something inside her managed to keep her outside calm. She hoped she could fake it long enough to make it at the end of the day, but regardless, she still had a long way to go.

"Suit yourself, Love..." Perci grinned, turning her attention back to the meeting with the rest of the teams. She then took out her scroll, checking the time, and noting how long it was since they started, a single bead of sweat formed on her forehead.

Ash thought, for a few seconds, grinning and writing the words 'Eldritchan grimm' Under a well-detailed sketch, made by Copper. "You know what? Yeah, I like it. Has a catchy tune to it, don't you think?" Several heads nodded in agreement, and satisfied with the name they had so far, she picked out her scroll, tapping a section of a list, muttering to herself. "Alright, coming up with a name... check. Now..." She then scrolled down, looking at the next item on the agenda. "K, item two on our list: The purp. What do we know about him?" Turning the question for the rest of her friends. This time, Copper was the first to rise to the occasion, presenting them with a drawing she made of the cultist as well.

" Jobless, possibly homeless as well. I'd assume around his thirties or forties, though I would need a proper photograph or encounter to validate that. At this point, it is best to assume he doesn't have anyone above him, and is independent in his actions until proven otherwise." She concluded her deductions, sitting back on her bed, staring at the group silently as before.

Suddenly, Undine groaned. "Ugh, I didn't sign up to talk about all day... I wanna get to the butt kicking already!" She groaned again, looking bored as ever. After her little tantrum, Leila gave her glare, much like the ones Perci received from her on a daily basis, looking uninterested in her nonsense.

"Regardless, it is a crucial part of an investigation. One cannot go out and fight without knowing who their enemies are." Her words were absolute, and without doubt in them. Undine stepped back a bit, climbing to her bed and looking at Leila with a combination of annoyance and discontent.

Waiting for the rest of them to quiet down, Ash took center stage once more. "Anyway... Back on topic. And also, for our next subject:" She pointed to the board, showing the symbol she saw on the ichor keg, at the dead center of the everything. "This symbol. Or, should I call it by the actual name of the group... Merlot Laboratories."

"Wow, you found a name." Perci gave her usual, sarcastic remark. "Well guys, mystery solved right, totally got them now."

"If you'll let me finish..." Ash stopped her before she could go any further. "This is actually where the mystery BEGINS. According to public records, Merlot Laboratories disbanded a few years ago. By no means should they have anything running at the moment." What she found about the labs, at least from what was publicly known, wasn't much. "One thing for sure, though. This rabbit hole goes deeper. FAR deeper than I initially gave it credit for."

At this point, Perci simply rolled her eyes. "So what, we have this abandoned labs in who knows where, and some crazy people connected to them. Now what?" Her patience, for some reason, was shorter than usual, seemingly wanting to get out of there as soon as she could. Here and there, she snuck a peek at her scroll, checking the time, and grinding her teeth the closer it got to _something._

"Now... We investigate. We need to spread out to Vale itself and discover anything we can about Merlot laboratories, or what they were working with. I imagine having kegs of Grimm Ichor isn't something any public lab is gonna get that easily." The rest of them nodded, and Ash checked another part of her small list, looking over to make sure she didn't miss anything on it. "Right, so, with that said... We need to decide who goes out to the industrial district to investigate-"

"Well gotta go bye!" Perci cut her mid-sentence, getting up and running out the door, looking stressed out and nervous. The rest looked at one another, confused as to why she had to run so fast out of the meeting, none of them having a single clue.

"Anyway..." Ash shook her head lightly, snapping back to the topic at hand. "We should split up, to cover more ground while looking. Now, I'm going to assume Perci can't go, and Jin shouldn't walk outside, so that leaves us with Leila, Hue, Copper, Undine, Melody and myself." She then turned to Leila and Hue. "I'd assume you two would go together?"

Leila nodded to her question. "Indeed. Hue and I will go and cover the residential district."

Ash pulled two pins, one with Leila's name on it, and one with Hue's sticking both of them on the residential district of her map of Vale. "Excellent. As for our team..." She then took out pins containing names for each person on her team. "Melody and I will investigate the upper-class district. Undine, Copper, you two take on the commercial district. After that, we'll cover the rest of them together. Everyone got it?" She asked the other five, getting gestures of approval across the board. "Then meeting adjured!" She called, raising her hand for a thumbs up. "From now on, the investigation begins!" Clean enthusiasm could be heard in her voice.

Leila got up, bowing to the other team leader. "Very good. Now, if you will excuse me, I have some matters to attend to." She stepped outside, Hue following suit shortly after, leaving team ACMM to their own devices.

Undine stretched, walking to her closet and pulling a one piece swimsuit. "Ahh... Finally, this meeting is done with! Welp, if anyone needs me for some reason, you know where to find me." She smirked, walking to the bathroom to change.

"The pool?" Ash shrugged. Lately, Undine had been spending almost all the free time she had in Beacon's pool area, seeming missing her old home village and the freedom to swim whenever she wanted.

After a minute or so, Undine stepped out, fully dressed for the activity, sporting the swimsuit, as well as a pair of simple sandals. "You got it! Anyway, smell ya later!" She walked outside, whistling some tune, leaving the rest of them be.

Ash, having nothing better to do with her time, sat down, peeking at her scroll and trying to look for any other piece of information she could find. In the melancholy of the situation, she couldn't notice as Melody came, sitting next to her, looking a tad flustered. She sighed, putting her scroll down, and giving Mel a rather bored look. "It's about that date, isn't it?"

"I-I mean..." Melody, easily cracking open, spilling what was on her mind. "I agreed to it, and then she just does nothing! I don't know what to do. Should I ask? Should I not?" She sighed, lifting her legs up to sitting in a fetal position, letting her head fall to her knees. "I don't know what to do..."

Trying to come up with the right words, Ash sat on her bed, shaking Melody a tiny bit. "Well, you wanted to be braver, right? I think that's step one to getting there. So come on, no more sour faces. Just go and ask her, what's the worst that could happen?" Cheering her up, Melody raised her head, looking better than before. Ash, as usual, was right, and she knew exactly what she needed to do to put her mind at ease.

"Yeah... You're right. Thanks, Ash." She thanked her, leaving a grinning Ash behind as she left the dorm to look for Perci.

"Don't thank me, Mel." She grinned to herself, turning back to her scroll. "All I did was give you a tiny push..."

* * *

About an hour later, Perci exited Ozpin's office, carrying with her an assortment of papers and the sort. Wiping the sweat from her forehead, she walked back to the dorm, organizing the papers in her hands and sliding them into a folder, and then into her suit, walking casually back. She expected the others finished their little meeting by now, and so, having nothing else to do, strolled Beacon casually, taking her sweet time to get back.

After a while of walking, she saw a figure approach her, at the corner of her eye. "What the hell?..." She turned her attention to the figure, running as it seemed to her at the moment, stopping in place as the blonde hair and the innocent face of Melody came into view. The moment she realized it was Melody, Perci quickly fixed her posture, straightening her back and lifting her cane, swinging it in hand. "Well well, to what do I owe you this pleasure, Love?" She asked, as Melody finally got close enough, panting heavily from looking for her all this time.

Before she answered, Melody raised her hand, gesturing Perci to give her a minute. Supporting her torso on her knees while still standing, she looked down, calming herself, until finally raising her head upwards, giving Perci the same fake bravery from before. "Alright, Perci... We need to talk about that date." Her rush of valor was interrupted by the very topic she was gonna bring up, stuttering a bit and blushing. "D-Do you... Still want to have it?" She closed her eyes shut, steeling herself in case the reaction she would get would be on the extreme end of the scale.

Instead, Perci simply approached her, waving her head, and sighing audibly. "Yeah... Don't worry about it, alright Love? These things, they take time, especially if you want them perfect." She grinned, Melody finally opening her eyes, looking at the delinquent curiously.

"B-But why? I mean... You weren't planning on doing anything in Vale, right?" Her question, as innocent as it was, still managed to make Perci cackle.

"Well duh, what else would you expect? I mean, what else are we supposed to do, go to the fucking library and read a book together?" It didn't take Perci long after asking to visualize herself and Melody, in each other's embrace, reading some book together. While she certainly wouldn't mind doing that with her, it was not something she could have jumped into right away.

Melody blushed as well, looking to the side. She came to agree to that idea, but it didn't feel fully right to her, at least at the moment. "Then... Explain yourself!" She picked up the courage to stand up, trying to look fierce. "What HAVE you been doing, anyway?"

Seeing as she couldn't hide her little secret any longer, Perci pulled out the file from her suit. Opening it, she presented Melody with its contents, several contracts, papers, and so on inside, clumped together and organized neatly. On some of them, Melody spotted several bullet point lists, describing things in regard to Perci's parole conditions. "Y-You..." She sounded surprised.

Perci quickly slid them back into their folder, putting them in her suit once more. She then looked to the sides, making sure no one else could have seen them on her. "Yeah... After the Eldritchan fight, and cleaning enough shit around Beacon, Ozpin finally helped me make an appeal to the council. Hopefully, and with a lot of good behavior, they'd allow me to walk around Vale again." She smirked, looking a bit victorious at the prospect of gaining some of her freedom back again. "At least, as long as I don't cause any trouble, that is." She corrected herself. "...And before you ask... I didn't just do it for YOU. I did it for ME."

Melody couldn't help but chuckle. "Sure, that's fine. Anyway... So are we still having that date?" She asked one more time, just wanting to make sure.

Perci nodded, leaning a bit closer to her. "You just focus on looking pretty and having a good time. I'll take care of the rest." After that, Perci looked about, trying to come up with something else to say, finding no words come to her mind. "Well anyway..."

"Yeah. I'll see you later then." Melody completed her thought, smiling gently as she walked away, happy at her decision to have this conversation.

* * *

The past few hours of Topaz's life were as perplexing as all get out. Jin, his most fascinating patient by far, was busy drawing on the table with some paper he supplied to her, as well as crayons. Each time he took a peek, the imagery would stay the same: Two women, with blonde hair and cat ears, as well as trees around them, or rather, a rough looking shape that could be interpreted as such.

Despite that, however, were the things she said to him. Her ability to see auras gave Jin a very unique view on the world around her. "So... Jin." He spoke up, after silently observing her for the past while. "Do you love your Mama?"

At this point, he knew almost anything there was to know about Jin. Seemingly enough, her mother taught her a lot of things about the world, leaving Jin able to basically care for herself, at least when it came up pure, sheer survival.

Jin stopped drawing for a second, looking at the nice man in the fancy clothing, as well as deep, calm, and soothing aura. "Yeah! I love my Mama very much!" Her answer, as one would expect, was childish and straightforward. Regardless, Topaz decided to push onwards with what he wanted to ask her.

"I see," he cleared his throat, stretching in his seat. He opened his mouth again, trying to ask Jin about her mother's death, before remembering her inability to recognize it whatsoever. Trying to force such a fragile mind to handle a tough concept such as death wasn't the best idea, and he quickly enough found himself retracting his plan, biting his tongue each time he wanted to pop the question.

Noticing his aura stutter just as much as his body was, Jin stopped her drawing, getting up and walking over to the thinking man, prepared to smother him with hugs if it meant making him feel better. He politely refused, quickly getting to the other end of the room. The last thing he needed at the moment was another bone crushing bear hug from Jin. "Are you okay?" She asked him, her voice innocent as the day she was born.

"Y-Yeah..." He tried masking his emotions, though ultimately it was those attempts that gave him away. Jin got close to him again, this time quickly wrapping her arms around the man, giving him a tender, though still powerful hug, keeping him in her embrace for a couple of minutes. He would have tried to struggle free, but past experience taught him that it was pointed to resist.

"There! All better!" She called out after seeing his aura calming down, stress seemingly vanished. In truth, it was still there, very much so, but masking it in front of Jin was the best solution to the hugging conundrum thus far.

After being let go, Topaz staggered up, still a bit dizzy. He chuckled a bit, before taking a look at his watch, realizing that her session, belated as it was, was just about over. "Hmm... Okay, Jin, seems like our time is over for now. Can you please come next week as well?" Of course, he couldn't set a session with her like he did with the rest of his patients. Jin was one of the few people that he had to work around.

"Okay!" She borderline shouted, giving him a small salute motion. He showed her some cartoons a while back, and seeing the main character make that gesture, she seemingly caught it herself, doing it every time he told her goodbye.

As Jin finally got up, walking outside and leaving him be, he finally took a sigh of relief. Now, alone at last, he quickly went ahead and closed the blinds on his window, locking the door and making sure no one was around. Once the coast was finally clear, Topaz sat in his chair, pulling out a scroll tablet, and logging into a certain chat program, the symbol of Atlas appearing in the corner, typing in as quickly as she could.

"Subject is high reactive. Dust in the body seems to sustain itself, despite other cases before it implying otherwise. Handle with caution." The transmission was received almost as quick as it came, ending with an attached photo he took of Jin, for good measure. Once he made sure the message was sent successfully, he closed his scroll, sliding it back into his jacket before calling on his next patient.

After all, this was his job...


	20. Secrets

Ozpin's office has seen better days. While the furniture itself wasn't in any shape of disarray, the footsteps of General Ironwood across the room left nothing but a somber mood, hanging over the heads of everyone present in the room, namely Ozpin and himself. In his hands, he held several photos, taken from an aerial source, pointed at a certain giantess, covered in dust. "I certainly do not appreciate the surveillance, James." Ozpin's voice finally came out, after a good while of silence. "I understand your intentions are for the best, but having surveillance from above at all times is not the proper way for it."

Ironwood stopped in place, shaking his head for a moment. In truth, he knew what he was looking at damn well. The reports from Topaz were quite clear that a dust-infused person was walking the halls of Beacon, and while the presumed discovery of said person was staged as a fluke, he had to take action nonetheless. "On the other hand, hiding such a person from the rest of the kingdoms isn't the proper action to take, Ozpin. I don't know what went through your head when you accepted her." His retort came soon enough, looking at Ozpin with disbelief. He stepped closer, feeling betrayed to a degree, putting a glove covered hand on his desk. "I thought you trusted me, Oz. Why hide this? Someone like her could save the lives of hundreds, no, thousands of people. If we could learn the secrets of her infusion-"

Before he could even finish his sentence, Ozpin raised his hand, to stop him. "Because, James, I knew this it how you would react. Jin, so far, hasn't shown she is capable of fully making these sort of decision on her own. She seems to blindly put trust in people, despite what their intentions should be. If she could make proper decisions, I would be happy to offer her the chance to come with you to Atlas, and help with research. But, until that point comes, I won't let anyone hinder her development." Despite the lawful answer, Ozpin was just as curious as anyone else. Jin has presented him with quite the potential, and being the man he was, a backup plan was always the case. Of course, Ruby was his first and foremost target, and he wouldn't give up on her so easily. The girl has shown the development he expected of her, and there was no reason to just let her go.

However... If her mother before her could fail, so could she.

He shook his head one last time. "My decision is final, James." He repeated one more time. "Jin is a citizen of Vale, and is under my care in Beacon. As such, I have the final say in anything that involves her moving to other schools, and I do not approve of it, whatsoever."

"Ozpin she is the KEY!" Ironwood slammed his hands on the table one more time, his tone rising to a quickly hushed shout, but a shout nonetheless. "Don't you understand what researching her could do? If we can determine what keeps her from being crystallized entirely, we could figure out how to infuse people with dust safely! The potential here is limitless!" Realizing he let his emotions out of check briefly, Ironwood instantly straightened his posture, fixing his tie hastily. He could already envision it, the next generation of Huntsman and huntresses, each using dust in ways forgotten by time for centuries.

However... Ozpin kept his stand. "When Jin graduates, I will let her make the choice. Until then, I will hold my ground. She is not just a test subject, but a walk of life of her own. She should be allowed the freedom to find what SHE wants to do in her life, before whisking her away to a lab to be experimented on."

Realizing Ozpin's mind wouldn't budge, Ironwood stepped back. "I hoped you would be able to see things how I see them... But so be it." Holding back his anger, he turned around, coming to leave the office, empty handed. In his head, he already tried to come up with a plan, anything at least, that would suffice, considering the turnabout of the conversation. "Regardless... We'll discuss this after the tournament is over."

"We can discuss this as many times as you wish, James." Ozpin leaned in his chair one last time. "My opinion isn't going to change."

Sighing, Ironwood nodded, and stepped into the opening elevator, going back down. As he descended, watching ground level grow closer, he noticed a figure, laying down on the grass, watching the moon above them. As he realized that the amount of hair she had covered her entire body height, and saw the dust laced in her skin, Ironwood suddenly realized that the giantess was right there, in front of him. Wanting to meet her in person, he stepped out as soon as he could, walking over at the awestruck girl, nigh hypnotized by the moon's light.

"Hello there." He spoke, as commandingly as he usually did. She didn't pay heed to him, still transfixed by the moon, and he stepped in front of her, trying to block the celestial body from her line if vision. "Hello." He repeated himself, still as dogmatic as ever. While on any other day he would take being ignored like that as a personal insult, something about her told him that she wasn't acting out of spite.

She shook her head once or twice, now finally looking at the imposing man. His aura, cold and calculated, gave off the impression of leadership, though the way it moved made her twist her head in confusion. "Your aura... It's..." She tried to come up with the right way to describe it, as one-half of it moved just fine, while the other was static, not even flickering. Instead, it jittered like electricity, zipping about through the metal underneath is suit. "...Zappy!"

He stepped back, raising an eyebrow curiously. "She could see it?..." The thought slipped his lips, distrust visibly in his aura. "Well... Yes. It is... Zappy." Trying to tone down his authoritarian behavior for a bit, he approached the girl again, kneeling down before her. Despite what Ozpin said, he had to make sure for himself about what she wanted. "Do you know how you were formed?" His question, like many other things in his life, was as direct as ever. If he couldn't take her with him, at the very least, he had to get out of what anything she could tell him.

Of course, his question was only met with a confused stare from the person in front of him, as her simple mind couldn't understand what he was referring to. All her life, she only focused on the things right in front of her. And right now, this aura looked at her, a bit intimidating, though not enough to make her shy away. "Uhh... Mama told me I was born like this!" Trying to answer his question, she put on her friendliest smile. After all, this was a new friend for her to meet!

He sighed, deciding to try a different approach to getting to her. If he could not reach out to her directly, perhaps she could use one of his speeches, that he so loved to impart on his subordinates. It was the one thing that helped Winter push through her decision to become a specialist, at the end of the day. "Jin, do you understand how important you are?"

"Imp... Impo... Impnt?" The lack of understanding of the most basic terms from her only crushed his spirits further, but regardless he pushed on, refusing to give up.

"Special, Jin. Do you realize how special you are?"

"I'm not special; I'm me! Mama told me that! She told me that we're all special!" Her innocent smile even managed to bring a tiny, minute grin to Ironwood's face. At least her heart was in the right place.

"And you're right, but you're more than that." His voice slowly raised in volume, the enthusiasm in what he says clear in his aura. As Jin's eyes began to sparkle in interest, he was sure of it; he could convince her. "You're the key to securing the future of Remnant!"

"Yaaaay!" She clapped her hands wildly, swept away by his determination and willpower. He could hardly believe how easy it was to sweep her off her feet.

"So, Jin, I have to ask. If you could come with me, and help me understand how you work, will you do it?" Finally, the question hit, and as Jin cheered and smiled and clapped her hands again, simply enjoying the aura he was giving, he only felt even more pride, believing he managed it. "Alright then, I'll talk to Ozpin at once! I'm sure he'll see now that you can understand what's important!"

Just as Ironwood came to leave, sure of himself that her transference to Atlas was secured, another voice, more hoarse than hers, pierced the silence of the evening around them. "Oi brute! We got dinner!" he turned his head, seeing another girl, clad in a suit, coming towards the two of them, trying to lift Jin on her feet, before giving Ironwood himself a look, realizing he was staring all along. "What're you lookin' at?"

"Excuse me? Do you not know who I am?" sensing the rudeness in her voice, he glared at the delinquent, stern, and cold. "In MY academy, students don't treat higher ups with such disrespect."

"Well, we ain't IN your academy, are we?" Her retort, coming just as quickly as his own words, showed the lack of respect she held for anyone in his position. Perci, on her part, couldn't give any less of a shit if he was the king of Vale. "Far as I heard, we're in Beacon. Wait..." She then narrowed her eyes, having seen him once or twice on the television. "You're James Ironwood, right? That general from Atlas."

"That would be correct, yes." He straightened his pose, a slight smirk forming on his lips, being recognized publicly, while commonplace for someone at his position and power, still held a certain pleasantness to it that he couldn't deny. Yes, every time a person realizes that they were talking to the great general from Atlas, he almost instinctively puffed his chest in pride, being a symbol of protection and peace.

But of course, the only response he could get from the girl in the suit and the hat, was a mere shrug. "...Huh. Well, so we're DEFINITELY not in your academy, are we?"

"Yes... But regardless. I was just about to talk to Ozpin about transferring Jin here to Atlas, where her potential can be maximized to it's fullest." As the fact that his title wasn't going to help him get anywhere with her, he came to conclude the conversation, before hearing her chuckle.

"And let me guess, you gave her like a big speech or some shit, she got all excited, and when you asked her she said yes." Her question hit right at home, and he nodded in response. Her constant chuckling, however, left him confused.

"Is there something the matter?" He couldn't help but wonder. "And watch your language."

"A, fuck off, you're not my boss." She retorted swiftly and harshly, showing no signs of respect to him whatsoever. "And B, you DO realize she'll say yes to almost anything, right? here, look." She turned to the dust giant. "Hey, Jin! Jump in place!" She called out, and Jin got up, doing as instructed, hopping in place like a bunny a couple of times. As she did, enjoying the motion, Perci gave the general an almost condescending look. "See?"

He could just feel Ozpin, looking down at the exchange from his office up above, chuckling at the nerve Perci held against him. "Humph. That will be all then." He decided he had enough, turning his back on the two, walking away from them, anger in his throat. If he had things his way, that girl would be expelled, if not worse. Perci's laugh from behind him certainly didn't help elevate his mood, but regardless, there was nothing he could do about the matter. Taking his scroll out silently, he opened up his contact in Beacon, instructing him to follow the girl, as well as her team. He didn't want to do anything drastic, but if worse comes to worst...

He'd do what he needs to do to secure the future of man on Remnant.

* * *

So far, it was a quiet night for Ash and her partner. The two of them already combed through most of the upper-class district, passing by many extravagant, rich houses, looking for some semblance of suspicious activity within the local community. it wasn't far fetched for rich people to occupy themselves with eccentric, odd interests, and joining a cult wouldn't be out of the question, if it was up for Ash at least.

She turned her head, looking at her partner. Melody was close by, almost directly behind her, looking around scared to a degree. The last thing she needed was an encounter with that crazy cultist guy. At that point, she wasn't even sure how accurate Copper was on describing him, and at the heat of the moment, pretty much anyone would fit the position of the grimm conjurer in her mind. Sighing, Ash tugged her shoulder, Melody giving an audible gasp and jumping back. "Mel, seriously. You gotta learn to chill and relax. At this point you'll die of a heart attack." She chuckled, resuming her slow pacing.

"Y-Yeah... You're right." Melody nodded. So far, it was far easier to face her fears when she was sitting in her warm, comfy dorm, looking at everything from afar. After all, from there, it looked far less scary to her.

Ash continued her chuckling for a while longer. "Seriously, sometimes I wonder what someone like you does in Beacon..." Of course, her question was meant as a joke, but nonetheless, she seems to have hit a nerve, as Melody stopped in place, looking down in a mixture of fear and shame. "Mel... Is somethin' wrong? You know I was joking." She quickly hurried over, trying to cheer her up.

"D-Do you... Really want to know? Why I came to Beacon?" Melody asked her, out of nowhere. Ash nodded, realizing that this could be important, and Melody took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down. "Y-You see... I-I used to have a bad habit of... Impulse shopping."

"I'd reckon you still do, Mel. You always manage to burn through our allowance first..." Ash commented, though from the look on Melody's face she quickly realized it might not have been her smartest choice, shutting up and letting her partner continue.

"W-Well... One day... I received a mail, with my monthly credit card debt." She looked to the side, trying to avoid Ash's direct gaze. "And it was... Bad. Very bad." Her head fell again, sobbing lightly, as the memories came flooding back.

"But... It's not like the bank is gonna close down on you and demand payment right away. Hell, the legal system actually makes it very easy for teens to pay debt like that." Knowing her legal talk, Ash tried to reassure her right away, but all Melody could do was wave her head.

"I should have known that before I... Turned to..." She tried finishing her sentence, but the words god choked behind tears.

"No... You didn't. Not loan sharks." Distress began to form on Ash's face. She grabbed Melody by her shoulders, shaking her lightly. "Melody, you have to tell me. How much did you take from them?" At this point, she wasn't joking around anymore. Luckily for Melody, the wouldn't touch her while she's in Beacon. But after that...

"F-Five hundred?" Despite the questioning tone, Melody couldn't pretend like she didn't know how bad it was. "L-Look... I know that this is bad. T-This is why I came to Beacon. To earn enough. I don't want my parents to get hurt."

Ash actually paused, taking a step back, and breathing as deeply as she could, looking at Melody with concern. She didn't have to tell her twice how bad the situation was, Ash already saw enough of what loan sharks can do to a late payer, if her father's work was anything to go by. "Mel... We might not have time, you know. Loan sharks can get very impatient. Enough that they go to drastic measures when you don't pay in time. When did you take that loan?"

"A-About... Six months ago." After hearing that, Ash took a small sigh of relief. She couldn't imagine loan sharks actually letting a little girl take money from them, but with the sort of people who go around Vale's underworld, who knew. She was sure, that somewhere, there was someone rotten enough to exploit a child's innocence and misunderstanding of how the world works, just to make a quick buck, or get some twisted pleasure out of tempting them with an easy way out of their issues, only to do unspeakable things to them later. Luckily for her, most groups she knew about didn't demand pay this early into a loan, usually going about two to three years. Hopefully, by then, Melody would have matured enough to be able to stand up to them, but even if she didn't Ash knew she'd be there for her.

She decided to drop the subject for now. It was pointless to try and do anything about it at the moment, as Melody wouldn't know any gangs or how they went around Vale, nor would she be able to point out where they sit. "Alright, for now, we'll continue with our investigation, alright? And don't worry, if something happens, me and the others will help you, I promise." She gave Melody a determined look. "You still have time, I can promise you that much."

"R-Really?" Hope started to gleam in her eyes. As Ash smiled lightly, nodding in approval, Melody's tone changed, and she shed her fear, if not to a degree, letting her usual self come out. "Alright then. Let's find something!" She strode forward, feeling far better about herself, before stopping again, a few houses away. "Uhh... Ash? You... Might want to come and look at this."

The sight that revealed itself to the team leader was something straight out of a police case: A house, or rather, the remains of a house, burnt down to the ground. Some of the walls still stood, though the police tape around the premises showed that some investigation took place here. Her detective instincts kicking in, Ash instantly approached the ruins, hoping to find something, anything about the reason for the fires. Perhaps, if she was lucky, it would be related to the cultists too.

When she realized Ash was heading straight into what seemed like a crime scene, Melody ran after her, trying to stop her. "A-Ash! We can't go there! What if someone sees us? We could get arrested, or-"

Ash raised a hand without looking at Melody. "Don't worry about it, see?" She pointed to the police tapes. Beyond the passage of time showing on them in closer inspection, it was quite clear that they were from a different era. "See those? Old, tattered. Police haven't been here in at least... Ten years, I'd reckon. Only reason this house is still burned down is most likely there's no owner to take it. The rich folks have total ownership of their own property, so no owner? No renovation."

"I... see." Melody couldn't quite keep up with Ash when she was like this. It was like talking to a completely different person, seeing her usually calm and relaxed team leader going fully enthusiastic and energized, heading into the ruins of the house to try and determine anything about it. "So, what do you think happened here?" She asked casually, looking around, trying not to touch anything. Watching enough detective flicks finally proved its worth, and she at least knew not to mess with anything crucial for Ash to look at.

As for Ash herself, her mind reveled at the mystery before her. A house burnt and charred for the past several years, and yet, nothing she ever saw held any truth about what happened there. She quickly pulled her scroll out of her coat, typing a number from memory, though with the speed of her fingers she made several mess ups, forcing her to delete and retype them, until finally getting her father's number right. "Hey, dad?"

Clint, sitting in his small office, just after dealing with a client, recognized the tone in his daughter's voice. "Yes Ash? What's up?" Keeping his calm, he opened up his computer, already prepared to dig some crazy bit of information she wanted for something that interested her. This was, of course, not the first time she'd call out of nowhere, seeking some piece of information from one of his older cases.

She looked around before asking him, trying to determine if there was anything else she could learn from the ruins. With nothing identifiable inside, she returned to her call, staying direct and clear. "I need some information about a burnt house in the upper-class district. Timestamp about ten years ago, if I had to guess."

He typed a bit, out of habit, thinking about anything he knew off hand. "I... see." Suddenly, the sound of fingers on a keyboard ceased from the other end of the conversation. "Well... There's one case I can recall. It was something that the force called me on, to try and help them, in fact." He didn't expect her to remember. Sure, at that age she was already trying to learn the ropes, but this particular case demanded he worked alone.

The answer being so close to her, Ash couldn't help but tap her foot impatiently. It was a habit she got a few years back, and while she did try and cut it, here and there it would still manifest in her behavior. Clint, on his end, took his sweet time, trying to think about all the details before spilling it in bits and pieces on his daughter, shuffling through his file cabinet until finally unearthing a rather old looking one, dusting it off and looking at the name.

"The burning of the Valiére mansion, seven years back."

Ash froze in place. There was only one person with that name she knew, and something told her it wasn't just a coincidence. "Wait... What?" She asked, voice dripping with shock and disbelief.

"They were a pretty big name in importing, a few years back." Clint, unaware of the reason for her confusion, started to explain. "Did a lot of hefty work for several big names, from pumpkin Pete's to the SDC. However..." His tone fell down, grim and dark. "That, Ash, was only a front. In truth, they worked for the underworld as a smuggling business, moving illegal goods into Vale, from drugs to human trafficking. Of course, the force didn't have any solid leads, and like any good cartel, they had a legion of lawyers, ready to make sure none of them could go behind bars." he then took a sigh, part relief, part disdain.

"And? What happened to their house?" Ash looked around one last time. It was perplexing, to say the least, but regardless, she had to know at this point, cultists or not.

"Some rival gang, presumably, decided to put an end to them. The only thing the force saw when they arrived on the scene was a burnt down house, an unconscious Mr. Valiére, and a pile of bodies. His wife was gone from the scene and wasn't heard from since. Mr. Valiére himself was promptly put into custody, and after some persuasion ratted out the rest of his group. He should still be in prison, if I recall." He concluded his explanation, putting back the file after reading its contents. "At the end of the day... What really happened there is just as much of a mystery to me as it was to you. Regardless, Valiére Imports are dead."

"Alright..." Ash rolled her words a bit, trying to draw some time. "One more question, then. Was there any information about Mr. Valiére's family? A... Daughter, perhaps?"

He closed his eyes, trying to recall. "Well... There was a rumor that him and his wife had a child. Then again, no one knew what was going on behind those doors, since they would never let anyone they didn't personally trust in or out. Hell, I heard they put an actual security check at the front door when they were expecting guests." He then chuckled lightly. "I'm ralmblin' again, aren't I? Well, I hope that helped sweetie. If YOU find anything new about that house... You be sure to give ME a call, right?"

As he hung up, Melody and Ash looked at one another with disbelief. At some point, Ash put the call on speaker, letting Melody hear the details as well. "You don't think..." Melody finally asked, looking at the wreckage with a renewed sense of wonder. Ash nodded.

"Yeah... I do. And I think that I know where we'll get the confirmation for that, too."

"But don't you think she'll get mad? You know how she is when it comes to talking about her parents and past..."

Ash waved her head. While some part of her still remembered a tale of cultists and eldritchan grimm, this new mystery was just as intriguing. She turned to Melody, giving her a resolute gaze. "I know. But at this point? Perci has the answers."

As so, the two of them went back to Beacon, finding not what they looked for, but rather something they didn't expect...


	21. Highs and Lows

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, guys, Arch here, and time for the next chapter of JPLL. On a side note, I thought I'd clarify something small, just in case: This story has no relation to my other big fic, The New Flames of Hope, despite some... similarities, between the two of them. Regardless, I hope you all enjoy this new chapter, and I'll see you all next time!

The night for Perci, so far, was rather calm. Preparations for the Vytal tournament are coming along just fine, and seeing as she wasn't allowed to leave Beacon, on top of having community service hours to fulfill if she wanted that permit for her little date, Perci had quite the day, carrying things around for Ozpin. Sighing to herself, and walking towards the showers for a well-deserved wash, she heard the footsteps of two coming towards her, as she was strolling along, complete with working clothes and a lack of her favorite hat.

She turned her head, raising an eyebrow as Ash and Melody approached her. Both of them had the expression of grim findings, one she was quite used to from her time on the streets, and so, she stopped, returning their looks with a serious mug. "Alright, I'll bite. What's up with the faces? You two look at me like I just killed someone."

She barely had any time to finish her sentence, before the two of them reached her vicinity, Ash clearing her throat for one acute cough. "Well, you might not have killed someone... But have you ever burned down a mansion before?" Her question was direct and right to the point. Melody looked to the side, trying to avoid Perci's direct glare. Whenever Ash was in her inquisitive moods, she almost always flipped personalities, and it wasn't the most comfortable thing to watch her try and interrogate someone.

Perci's face grew even more somber. From rage, to despair, to mere indifference, a whole slew of emotions passed across her features, before settling on one final feeling that reverberated through her entire form: Acceptance. She closed her eyes, thinking for quite a while, turning their backs on them and slowly walking. "...Fine. You're lucky I have a date with Mel planned on. Just ask me what you want."

Taking up her offer, Ash and Melody started walking behind her, though keeping their distance. It was clear from her posture that she was not happy about any of this, and who knew with Perci when she'd snap at them or anything of the sort. "Alright, then..." Ash finally spoke up, after a good few minutes of awkward, unnerving silence. "Let's start with the basics: Was it you?"

Perci merely shook her head. "You know it's really fun, today. You guys got to have all the fun downtown, while I have to carry shit around and look after the fucking brute when creepy old fuckers try and molest her or some shit. THEN I had to carry crap around for a good two hours, and now fucking THIS. Now I get to talk about THIS." She stopped again, looking at Ash with anger in her eyes. "No, you fucking bitch. I DIDN'T do it. For all I know it was some other fucking asshat that felt like burning a house down." Finishing her little speech, Perci started pacing again, stopped only a few steps after. "I... May have hurt some of them. Severely."

"So it really was you..." Ash pondered out loud, trying to keep herself calm and rational. "Dad said that it was a rumor your parents had a child. Perci, I..."

Before she could finish her sentence, Perci turned to her again. Despite the anger in her eyes, tears started to form there as well. "A rumor, huh? So this is what I was. A fucking rumor. Well, then..." Trying to deter the emptiness inside of her, Perci faked a twisted, cruel smile. "Wanna hear how the rumor started?"

The two of them looked at one another, unsure about the whole thing. Even Ash at this point half doubted herself about coming to Perci in the first place. Blaming her own curiosity for her troubles, she reluctantly nodded, Melody giving a shy gesture of her own.

Perci's smile faded away, as the memories began to flow back in. "Well, you see... My father, as I assume you've heard at this point, was not the most kind-hearted person out there. In fact, I'd reckon he's one of the shittiest people to ever exist." The two of them looked at one another once more, having heard only the most basic of details. "Of course, I didn't know any of it at the time, but you see... Running a gang isn't the easiest thing out there. It's not just a bunch of assholes, sittin' around some fucking table, trying to come up with the next big heist. It's not a smoothly running business, where everything always goes according to plan." Perci's head began to wave. "No, you see... Running a crime network is like a gamble. It's all about risk Vs. reward."

Ash raised an eyebrow. "But how does this-"

"-Relate to me? Simple." Perci finished her question, continuing her story. "Turns out, my father, while being an efficient planner, wasn't the best, how you say... 'people's person,' out there. In fact, I came to learn he had a TON of enemies, both in the underworld and it the importing business."

"S-So... W-What did he?..." Melody, trying to join the conversation, asked.

"Oh he? Not much. Most of the time he wasn't around. My MOTHER, on the other hand..." The moment she mentioned the woman, Perci's tone dropped to a whole new low. "She was... Possessive. Very possessive. Let's just say that the reason I was a rumor wasn't the most pleasant out there for me."

Ash looked at her, trying to decipher what it meant, before everything clicked. "She kept you inside."

"For the first ten years of my life. She always said that if I left, someone would hurt me or something." Perci gave a hollow chuckle, devoid of any actual feeling put into it. "To some degree? She was right. I guess with all the people after my father my neck would have been on the line too. But..." Her tone went down to a combination of somberness and anger. "That's not an excuse to keep a child locked in her house for her entire life, while letting her look through the window."

Looking at her with newfound empathy, Melody started tearing up as well, while Ash kept her calm demeanor. There was still one last mystery to be solved. "So... How did you get here?"

"Ah yes, my 10th birthday..." Perci started to recall the fateful night. "So the house started to burn down. People are running in the halls. I myself was actually on the verge of an escape plan to get out of the house, when one of them grabs me and tries to off me right there and then. I honestly don't think any of them expected there to be a kid, but I was there. If it weren't for my semblance, I would have died that night. But thankfully..." Her voice dropped again, looking down. By now, she held the face of a defeated person, one that truly believed they failed in something important. "I survived. My only regret was letting my bitch of a mother live." Replaying the memory in her head, Perci instinctively lifted her hand, pointing it downwards. "I had her RIGHT THERE... All I had to do was swing that iron and bash her fucking brains out." She sneered at herself, looking back again. "But... I couldn't I couldn't do it."

Staring at her confession, shocked and slightly sickened, Ash tried to open her mouth to say something, _anything_ at all, just to let it pass. Alas... Nothing came to her mind, and between the reminiscing Perci, the sobbing Melody, and herself, there was nothing left to say.

From there, Perci came to conclude her little tale. "From there... I ran out. The seven years after that, I spent surviving on my own, using my semblance to survive. I mean... Where do you think I got THESE?" She looked at the two of them, pointing to her scarred skin. While her face was someone clean from scars, with the exception of the Eldritchan's claw, the remainder of her body was covered head to toe with scars. Mostly hidden under her suit, which covered the majority of her exposed skin, in the working clothes she had on her they became apparent, only hidden behind the story she had to tell. As Ash and Melody looked at her bare form, the signs of cuts, bruises, stabs, and almost every conceivable way to get hurt manifested in one way or another on Perci, worn like a medal of honor. Perci turned around again, beginning to walk once more. "And now, I guess you'll hate me too, huh? I mean, who wouldn't despise a person who talked about killing their own mother?" A dry, sarcastic chuckle escaped her lips. "You know... It's funny. Some part of me actually considered turning over a new leaf. But I guess it will ne-"

Before she could finish her sentence again, Melody rushed over, hugging her tightly, almost exactly like Leila did before her. While usually she'd scoff it off as feigned kindness, or just a meager attempt at winning her favor for a while, the gesture actually made Perci think. "You're... Not disgusted? Scared? ANYTHING?"

"Of course I am!" Melody started to cry out. "B-But I can't leave you like this. I won't let you feel like that!" Sobbing into her stained clothing, Perci gently tried breaking the hug. If anything, she didn't want her sweat all over Melody's face... Yet, at least.

"W-What's with the empathy show, anyway? I'm not the nicest person ever, you know." Trying to suppress her own tears, Perci looked away, attempting to rationalize why there was no reason for any of them to like her at all.

"Well, Perci... There's this thing called empathy, you know?" Ash stepped in, putting a hand on her shoulder, while Melody was still busy burying her teary face into her chest. "Yeah, you're not the nicest person ever, but you stepped up for us, you know? You didn't have to break your parole for us, but you did. That's respect in my book."

Perci looked at her, and then at Melody. Two people, who she believed didn't have any reason to care about anything she did, were now both by her side, comforting her. She slowly let her hand raise, pressing it behind Melody's back, returning her hug with one of her own. The warmth of someone else, willingly embracing her, even knowing the power she wielded, or the scarred body she possessed, managed to move her, to some degree. After a minute or two of simple silence, she tried shaking Melody off again, who seemed to have calmed down to a degree. "Alright, alright, that's enough. I mean I've been carrying shit all day, I don't think hugs are that fitting until I've taken a shower or something."

Realizing her mistake, Melody put a single finger on her face, shuddering as the smell hit her. From there, it didn't take her long before she started running, making a B line to the showers as quickly as she could, wanting to clean herself right away, leaving a chuckling Perci and a giggling Ash behind. "She really is a gem, you know?" Ash turned to the delinquent, Perci returning her smile.

"Yyyyyup... That's why I worked on getting that permit. Her voice, her looks... What can I say, I think I might have falle actually-" She immediately stopped, putting a hand on her mouth, not nearly as ready yet to admit her feelings to anyone.

Alas, it was far too late, Ash already deducing the whole ordeal. Grinning mischievously, she tapped Perci on the shoulder, returning to her usual peaceful attitude, calmed down after having her fill of truth and mysteries solved. "Don't worry Perci, your secret is safe with me. I won't tell a soul." She played with her voice a bit, twirling the words around, borderline teasing her friend.

Perci gruffed, slowly slipping into her usual attitude. However, despite that, a glimmer of change reflected in her eyes. "Just... Don't tell the others, yeah? I don't need this bullshit coming on to the freaking Nun or something. God knows she'd chew me out..."

"Alright, but you know what I think?" Ash started pacing away, heading back to her dorm room to join with the rest of her team. "I think you should try and put some more... _Faith_ in her as well." She finished her thought, leaving the cringing Perci behind to finally take her shower.

* * *

The day after, and some much-needed rest, the students of the first year of Beacon all gathered together, alongside some of the transfers from the other kingdoms, for a combined training session in the arena. So far, team JPLL watched as the fabled Pyrrha Nikos managed to beat the snot out of team CRDL alone, and then, to top it all off, took on another student, beating him as well.

"Heh." As the last fight drew to a close, Perci couldn't help but chuckle. "Give me a break, I can take her."

Leila, who so far stared at one of her idols with admiration, gave Perci a questioning look. "I highly doubt you possess the skill to take on Ms. Nikos and win, Perci, You may be strong, but she is far quicker."

Perci sneered at her, replying with a mocking tone. "Hah! This tournament is as good as mine for the taking." From the way she understood it, the fights would be based on low enough aura count. Something that so happened to sit RIGHT up her ally...

"I'm pretty sure that your semblance would count as cheating. Regardless, I do not think any of us are prepared to take on such a challenge." Leila argued, returning her attention to Glynda, who looked for volunteers so far.

Perci couldn't let this stand. Some part of her, hell-bent on proving Leila wrong, made her raise her hand, calling for Glynda's attention. "Oi Teach! I'm up next!" She didn't even wait for a response from the teacher, before jumping down to the stage, looking at the other students. "Now, any of you BITCHES think they can step up to this?" Puffing her chest with pride, she looked at the crowd, demanding a challenge.

Glynda coughed, taking the attention away from her. "Well, since you're so eager... Anyone willing to challenge Ms. Valiére?" She was just about to use her tablet and pick someone at random, before a thin, long hand stretched out, as a particular masked figure stood up, face turned towards the arena. "Very well then, come on down please." Glynda nodded her head, and she walked, each step calculated and careful, slowly descending towards Perci, standing before her. Besides the mask, covering the upper side of her face, nose and eyes included, she a shaft of sorts, collapsed to sections, wrapped around her right arm. From the bottom, going upwards, a sharp, long blade of a scythe stretched out, dull side turned outwards, though that soon changed as she readied her weapon, still compact around her arm.

Perci cackled. She could tell from her stand that she had skill, and plenty of it, but at the end of the day... She had the clear advantage in that fight. Up above them, bars gauging the amount of aura each of them had started to rise, slowly filling up to a 100%.

Or at least, that was the deal for her opponent.

The bars made an audible ding sound when reaching max. However, in Perci's case, the bar just kept going, hitting a second ding, then a third. "yeah... Just give it a minute." She cackled, already sure of her victory. When the fourth 'ding' came up, the bar finally stopped, letting everyone around grasp the direness of the situation for the masked girl from Haven. She now had to face someone with at least four times as much aura as she did, while the amount she would need to get her to lose was the same for both of them, at fifteen percent.

"Righto, then." Perci cackled again, raising her cane. "Come at me whenever you want, bitch."

For the first few minutes, none of them moved. Perci was smart enough to know not to make the first move, and so far, the masked girl didn't attempt it either, patiently waiting for an opening. Despite nothing really going on, Leila was already fixated on the fight, wanting to know how it would end. Hue herself even dropped her book for a change. Thankfully, Jin wasn't around to witness this, as both of them were sure she'd jump down to the arena to try and stop the fight herself. Regardless, the silence resumed some more, Perci slowly losing her patience.

"Well? You gonna do somethin' or what?" She asked, her tone shifting to slight anger. When no response came, she decided to try a different tactic, a sly grin forming on her face. "Oh... I get it. You're SCARED! Hey everyone, look! She's so scared she's stiff as a corpse! I bet you look like, fucking hideous under that mask, right? That's why you have to hide it." Throwing taunts that almost made Glynda jump from her seat to scold her for them, Perci kept trying, getting no response whatsoever. "ooh FINE! YOU ASKED FOR IT!" She finally bellowed in anger, shifting her weapon to gun form, and quickly unloading a whole barrel of bullets at her opponent.

The moment she made the first move, the girl moved out of the way, running close to the ground with surprising speed. raising her right arm with the blade on it, she ran circles around Perci, letting her run out of bullets, before dashing in, aiming the blade straight at her throat.

"Oh no you don't!" Perci managed to react in time, grabbing the blade with her bare hand. Aura sizzling the wound she would have gotten away, she pushed the blade back, transforming her weapon back into cane form, throwing away the used up barrel, while charging at her screaming, aiming to finish the fight as quickly as she could.

Just before she could get close enough, the masked one jumped away, moving far quicker than Perci anticipated. "Get back here!" She ran after her, adamant and almost infuriated at that point, still not even managing to get a single hit, let alone touch, on her whatsoever. Once she had the proper range for it, the young woman raised her weapon, showing two barrels at the very end of her weapon. Pushing some inherit trigger, shards of burning, red dust flew at Perci, each exploding into a fiery blast upon contact.

Attempting to catch her off guard, Perci dashed forward, powering through the blasts as her aura took chunk after chunk of damage, slowly being reduced by the shots. As an explosion hit close enough to her face, the masked fighter was blinded for just a split second, giving Perci just the window of opportunity she needed to push through, and lunge at her.

"Gotcha!" She yelled, now in range, sending out her hand to grab her stupid mask and rip it right out of her face. Before she could, however, her opponent bent backward, not unlike a scene right out of an action movie, watching as Perci's hand just missed her, going over. From there, she grabbed her by the sleeves of her suit, and with one quick motion, slammed Perci into the ground.

Trying to pull her hand away, she realized she couldn't. When the dust settled down, Perci was still standing, holding her hand with a grip of iron. "Bad. Call." She grinned, pulling her closer, and finally securing a hand to her face, or at least, the exposed parts of it. Grinning victoriously, she tapped into her semblance, as the fight became internal, two auras clashing against one another, Perci fully intending to make an example of her by sucking her dry.

At first, things seemed to go with Perci's favor. This one had far more will than she anticipated, forcing Perci to wail on her repeatedly, but slowly, her aura was driven down, Perci's own starting to see a raise, even though slowly. "Just give it up! You can't beat me!" Perci called, taunting her victoriously, when she realized something. It was a slow change, only managed by the sheer willpower of her opponent, but it happened.

The flow of aura reversed.

She had no idea how it was even happening. Pushing her semblance to its limits, a shoving her own willpower against her opponent's, she managed to bring it to a halt, none of them getting anything. Anger pumped through her face, looking at the expressionless, masked face before her with fury untold by all who live. No way she would let some stuck up bitch from Mistral use her OWN semblance against her! It was impossible!

Perci grunted and pushed on, trying to regain control, but alas, the best she could manage was nothing more than a stalemate. Seeing as she had no other option, with her semblance still active, she brought her free hand over, bringing it down on the masked face, coming to bash her skull in, not even concerned with the rules at this point. The retort didn't fail to show up, her own arm being met with its counterpart from the other end, the two of them exchanging blows while being locked to one another, each determined not to lose, both the physical fight at the clash of wills.

Her aura was unlike anything Perci has seen before. She felt it, coursing through her body, burning with ambition and determination. Of course, compared to the endless well of greed for power that was Perci's aura, the two were completely separate entities, common in goal, but different in methodology. Regardless, for the first time in her life, Perci met her match. She couldn't beat her by force, nor could she use her semblance for an easy win, forcing Perci to actually think on her feet for a change.

She let go of the other's hand, aiming a hook at her abdomen. The Haven student quickly jumped back, as the shaft, collapsed around her arm, started to unwind, seemingly extending back to its primary form. "So you're finally gonna take this seriously, huh?..." Wisps of peach colored aura started to form around Perci, as she readied herself for one last attack. She took a quick glance at the bar above, showing that he was already halfway through her aura, leaving her with just enough for the trick she had in mind. At that point, it's not like she had anything to lose regardless. "Alright then, bring it!"

Dashing towards her opponent, who by now had a fully extended scythe in her hand, Perci showed no fear. Her fist, already pulled back, aimed straight for the expressionless face, pumping most of the aura she had into it.

The two met at the center of the arena, Perci bringing down her fist upon her opponent with all of her might. She just felt it, this one would do the trick and finally crack her own. Already seeing her victory in mind, Perci could already envision her flying across the arena, hitting the back wall, and her aura running out or low enough to consider a loss.

However, like many things in life, it didn't go quite as well as she predicted.

The reaction was so fast, Perci could barely process it. Moving out of her punch at the very last second, the Haven Reaper brought down her scythe in one quick swing, sending Perci flying instead. With most of her aura going to her final gambit, it was quickly reduced to below the safe zone, just a tad under it in fact, and a loud buzzing noise was heard, signifying her loss officially.

Out on the stands, Leila stated in awe. The skill the girl possessed, and the mobility she showed were both quite impressive, and for a moment she forgot that Perci had, in fact, lost the match entirely. Hearing others cheer with excitement at the fight that transpired before them, Glynda stepped forward, congratulating the victor, and dismissing her back to her team, all three of them looking at her as if they already saw it all coming a mile away.

"Well, Ms. Valiére? Are there any other points you'd like to prove to the class today?" Glynda asked the knocked down Perci, slowly standing up. While it was a bit out of place for her as a teacher to speak like this, Perci's snark and sarcasm were not at the top of her favorite things list, and the chance to give her back some didn't go unnoticed.

"Yeah, that the ruler up your ass must be reaching your brain." Perci slumped over a bit, walking slowly towards the stand, muttering to herself about masks and scythes and painful, painful things she'd do to said person who had both on her. Reaching her seat, Perci fell on it, looking at the ceiling, as the loss slowly started drifting away from her mind. Despite Leila trying to ask her if she was hurt, or some of the students snickering at her fall and her hubris, she still felt an odd amount of peace, all thing considered.

After all... When her date was so close, it was all right to lose too.


	22. Date Night

 

Ozpin's office was rarely a place for commodities and noise. Despite the recent events, including Ironwood's visits becoming more and more frequent, as well as students being called in for misbehavior, the top floor of Beacon tower always held a serene aura to it, a tranquility that seemed to persist, as the troubles of daily life passed through it.

Of course, that peace was utterly shattered by the pacing Perci, going circles in his office, muttering to herself over and over and sneaking glances at her watch, only growing more impatient with each passing second.

Ozpin himself was knee deep in an argument about Perci, in fact. An argument dealing with her parole and its conditions, as well as the possibility she would be granted access to Vale once more. She had already filled out the community service requirement, doing various jobs around Beacon in preparations for the coming tournament. At that point, she could already find her way through the Amity Colosseum by heart, having scrubbed it for hours throughout the past few days. Though at the end of the day, she was sick of it entirely, wanting nothing more than to be able to go to town again, and not be afraid of cops coming to arrest her.

"Come on... Come on..." She muttered to herself, looking at the headmaster one more time. For as good as he was with words and charisma, Ozpin still had troubles getting around the council. Just last week they decided to cut the coffee budget to the school, deciding it was already large enough as it was, and that no sane human would need to drink this much caffeine every single day.

"...Alright then. I think that's agreeable. Thank you very much." She heard Ozpin say, as the holodeck closed up, the call over. She looked at him, hope gleaming in her eyes for a change, hoping that he managed to convince them to approve. Despite the urgency of the matter, she somehow managed to tune out the entire conversation, already thinking about the date she had that evening, and the reservations she made wouldn't last forever.

Looking up at Ozpin, and cursing herself for planning things so hastily and in advance, she waited for a moment, letting the silence in the room drag on for a little bit. "...Well? What'd they say? Pleasesayyespleasesayyespleasesayyes..." She repeated to herself, fingers crossed, desperation finding its way into her heart. As Ozpin nodded, she almost jumped in place, cheering wildly, though it dawned on her, as he coughed lightly, that this wasn't going to all sunshine and rainbows. Calming down, she gave her a dissatisfied glare, crossing her arms. "...Alright, Oz... What's the catch?" She should've expected this much. There was always a catch to these sorts of things, if her time on the streets taught her anything.

"Well... There will be two primary conditions to your extension. Besides not causing any trouble or going back to your old ways, of course." Ozpin started, though before he could continue, she was already rolling her hand, restless as ever.

"Yeah yeah yeah, I know, I do shit or go off the grid and it's done. Anything else I should know about?" She didn't have a lot of time at that point. All she really wanted was for him to finish his little speech and let her be on her way.

Despite her body language clearly showing her distress, Ozpin didn't hasten himself, taking a small sip of his cup. Figuring he might as well give her a small lesson in patience, he put the mug down, looking at her with his usual serene, though cryptic look. "Alright, then. First, you have to report to me each time before you leave for Vale." She groaned a bit, realizing that getting outside was still going to be a bitch. "At the very least, I don't have to report this to the council, but I am obligated to keep notes of when you left and came back." Hoping she'd appreciate the effort he had to put in for her, he could only see Perci growing more and more stressed out with each passing second.

"Yeah sure cool, anything else?" She spoke in one, sharp breath. Her breathing was getting quicker, and her eyes darted around, hoping for an escape, as each passing second felt like eternity passing.

"The second, and more important rule, is the curfew. You are to return to Beacon before ten in the evening. However..." A sly smirk appeared on his face, knowing that this time was gonna be an exception. "I will let it slide today. Just remember that you have classes tomorrow, Ms. Valiére. I don't want you to be late."

"Alright! You got it!" She nodded repeatedly, just praying inside he'd let her go already, looking at the clock one more time. If she headed out right there and then, she _might_ manage to make it in time for their date, while slightly being fashionably late.

Ozpin let the moment draw on for just a few more seconds, before nodding with approval. "Alright, then. I hope you enjoy your date."

Taking a huge, deep breath, it took her less than a second before she was already in the elevator, already opening it up in advance, watching as it descended down to the ground level. "Comeoncomeoncomeoncomeon..." She muttered to herself again, and as the doors opened up, she ran out, heading straight for the dorms. Looking at the clock every few seconds, she had to run as fast as she could, getting to the dorm in record speed for almost any Beacon student of her year that wasn't gifted.

From there, it didn't take long before she was face to face with the door of team ACMM. She stopped running, pulling out a small bottle of deodorant and spraying her armpits, checking her breath and fixing her hair one more time, even beneath her hat. Making sure her tie and pin were set right on her suit, she took a deep breath, finally knocking on the door.

Instead of the lovely Melody opening it up for her, however, she was graced with Ash's taller form, looking as slouchy as ever. She eyed Perci, raising a single eyebrow, noting her overall cleanliness before sighing, smirking a bit as she did. "Well, then. You look dashing." It didn't take Perci long to figure out what was going on, giving Ash a little glare.

"Well, can I at least come inside why we wait? I guess at this point we'll be late regardless." Ash stepped aside, as Perci realized the space for the restaurant was all for naught at that point. "Ah man... I had to call there like, two months ago to get good seats. What do you guys think, try and make it or just go someplace else?" She fell over Ash's bed, finally calming down, as the inevitable nature of the night finally dawned on her.

Between the three present, only Ash and Undine sat next to her, Copper being busy writing up homework, efficiently finishing assignment after assignment in one fell swoop. "Well..." Undine uttered, looking over at the bathroom. "I don't think you two will make it. She wanted to look her best, y'know?"

Perci nodded once, rising back up to proper sitting. "Yeah, I know... Oh well, guess that's a lesson for me for the future." She couldn't help but chuckle lightly at a passing thought. "...Women, am I right?"

A mere moment later, Ash couldn't help but constantly chuckle, while Undine couldn't help it, laughing cheerfully at her statement. "I mean... It takes one to know one." Ash finally managed to utter after letting the laughter die down, returning Perci's snark with her own for a change.

Perci, not being one to refuse a battle of wits and banter, straightened her back. "I guess you can say that again." Undine was still giggling to herself, though before Ash could respond with another quip, the bathroom's door finally opened up.

"Alright girls, I-" Melody spoke, stepping out casually. Unlike her usual clothing, she had a beautiful, almost glittering sunflower yellow dress, going all the way down to her legs. Beneath them, she had a pair of high heels, though from the way she stepped back realizing Perci was there, it was clear she wasn't accustomed to wearing them much. On top of it, her hair was done and freshened up, and she even took the extra step of wearing makeup, from eyeliner, to blush, to red, striking lipstick. "Perci! I, uh..." Her blush, only complemented by her cheeks turning a nice shade of red of their own, intensified in hue, realizing she was caught off guard. "Well... Hi!" She called out, clearly inexperienced in the art of dating someone.

Luckily for her, Perci already knew the ropes. She stepped in, though still keeping a healthy distance from her partner for the night, tipping her hat like a gentlewoman. "M'lady."

As it dawned on her the horrible, horrible pun she just made, Perci's cheeks turned just as red as the person in front of her's. Standing in front of each other, flustered, she quickly shook it off, offering a hand for her date to come with. "A-And where will you be taking me, Ms. Valiére?" Melody asked, though her attempt to sound astute was lacking, at best.

"Oh, don't you worry Love." Perci bounced back. If there was anything she knew about dates, it was that showing confidence is key. The LAST thing she wanted was for Melody to realize she didn't have a plan. "I have juuuuust the place for us..."

* * *

About an hour later, at the industrial district, Melody couldn't help but stare perplexedly at the sight before her. While she didn't imagine Perci is the fancy upper-class restaurant type, taking her to a raunchy looking bar wasn't on her first guess either. Cheerful piano music came from the inside, while the faint smell of alcohol welcomed the two of them, as Perci, feeling far more at home out there, opened the door, letting her in.

"Oi look! It's the kingpin!" Some of the men, sailors for the most part, noticed her approach, cheering on at her as she walked inside, grinning. Realizing that she wasn't alone, however, made them all silent down, knowing smirks on their faces.

"T-They know you here?" Melody finally managed to speak, still shocked by the sheer energy the place held. As Perci walked inside like she owned the place, the creaking sound of the wooden floor and the right, vibrant smell of fried seafood hit her at the same time, though unlike what she expected from such a place, the smell was actually quite inviting.

Perci looked back at her, a victorious smile on her face. "Yyyyyup. Used to work 'round here a few years back. Only place that people are still nice enough to welcome me..." She chuckled, walking past the piano, where an elder man, with a stump leg, was playing lively, filling the entire joint with music. Some people were even around the main area of this small clubhouse, dancing and enjoying their time, and overall having a blast.

Perci led her date to one of the tables, with a great view, observing the rest of the bar. As Melody sat down on one of the couch seats, Perci looked behind her back, nodding to the man behind the bar, who nodded back, shouting something to the kitchen, though with his thick accent Melody could barely understand what he said. After waiting for a few more minutes, and realizing a menu isn't coming, she finally started to ponder on the matter, turning to Perci and tugging her shoulder. "S-So... What are we eating?"

As she asked, Perci only winked at her. "Oh, don't worry about it. I have this arrangement with the owner, he'll fix us something good." Perci's calm, smooth demeanor managed to set her heart at ease, to a degree. She figured that if Perci knew what she was going, she could at least trust her that it was going to be worth it.

About fifteen minutes of waiting and small talk later, and a rather short waitress came along to their tables, setting up plate after plate of almost anything Melody could think of. From fish to tries, to calamari and shrimp, it seemed that they were getting to royalty treatment, with all the food they could possibly eat. The smell alone already made her salivate slightly, having eaten nothing so far to save space for the meal in question. Hearing her stomach grumbling, Perci sat closer to her, taking a large shrimp, almost as big as her palm."Well, what're ya waitin' for? Dig in!" She exclaimed, biting down, the shrimp melting in her mouth as Perci dug in. Melody soon enough joined her, taking a few fries, and eating them shyly, not before dipping them in some home made sauce. Just as she expected, the taste was nigh divine, and soon enough, she found herself eating to her heart's content, with Perci by her side.

While eating their meal, Perci took a charmed glance at Meldoy, who was having a great time so far, never having eaten such well-made seafood. So far, Melody's experience with them came from her parents, ordering take out on weekends when her mother was too lazy to cook something. In fact, she never even imagined shrimp getting to that size, and as she guzzled down another one, almost moaning from the diving taste, Perci couldn't help but grin. "Here, try these." She took over the plate carrying the calamari rings, each of them roasted nicely, a delicious aroma escaping the cooked squid. Melody, lost to the wonders of the small bar, happily took a few of them with her fork, smiling as she bit down on all of them, stuffing her mouth full and chewing contently. "Well, what'd ya think? Pretty good right?" Perci asked her, the tone of her voice going to her usual, cocky mood.

Melody nodded, finally swallowing the calamari in her mouth. "...Yeah! This is all delicious!" She then realized something, and her mood fell, just a tiny bit. "But... How can you afford all of this? This food is the best..." She continued to eat, taking some more fries while waiting for Perci to explain. Something told her that this much food, of this good of quality, was going to cost Perci a pretty lien.

"What all of this? Oh, don't you worry about it. Seafood is actually surprisingly cheap, if you know where to look." She winked at her, taking a salmon steak on her plate and eating it slowly, being filled out to a degree. "And on top of it, I used to work here, remember? I got enough cred for a former employee discount." Nodding in understanding, a faint yawn escaped Melody's lips. While not being too tired per se, it was clear that she was full, and would have to rest a bit to let herself digest all of the food she just ate. Perci, keeping the ball rolling, let Melody's head fall on her shoulder, resting gently while the music played all around her.

By the time Melody fully got up, the food was already gone. Perci herself have had enough for the moment, and had the food taken away, while letting her date rest on her for as much as she needed. "Well, how was your sleep Love?" Perci asked her, grinning aloof as Melody gave another yawn.

"I-I'm... Fine. Yeah, I'm fine." Melody stuttered a bit, still slightly nervous around the delinquent, especially now that the food was gone and dealt with. She looked around, searching for a topic to talk about with her, before both her eyes and ears landed on the old man, still playing the piano at the center of the bar, keeping it up, song after song. "W-Wow..." She finally managed to utter, hoping it would help move things along. "He's still going, huh?"

Perci nodded in agreement, having known him for quite some time in her youth. "Yyyyyup. He gets paid in booze though, too. Actually, now that I think about it... You DO like music, don't you?" The question made Melody fluster, though Perci only grinned, getting up. "Well, seeing as this evening is turning on swimmingly so far... How about we give him a little break, eh?" Leaving Melody confused, she walked over, tapping him on the shoulder and pulling a small bottle of jack from her pocket, handing it to him. The old man cheered, getting up to enjoy his drink, happily letting Perci take the piano. She sat down, stretching her fingers, giving Melody one last look before her hands descended, slowly and gently letting the notes come to her mind.

Melody stared with awe at her date. Perci's playing was moving, profound and slow, moving the mood in the bar to a more dull, but relaxed one. At some point, she couldn't help herself, getting up and walking along to the piano herself, sitting down on the wing. She closed her eyes, listening to the song, and before she knew it, words came to her mind, as Melody let her inner muse manifest, singing joyfully to Perci's tune. The duet between the two of them only managed to drive the romantic undertones into the foreground, as the dancers around them happily adjusted, taking a slow, sensual dance. However, despite wanting to dance herself, Melody couldn't help but stare transfixed at Perci, who was lost in the song just as much as she was. The two of them looked at one another, emerald eyes meeting jade, as Melody's entire world condensed down to the beautiful music the two of them produced together. Each tone, each note that Perci brought forth, was already perfectly complemented by Melody's voice, adding a whole new layer to this duet between the two of them.

As the song drew to a close, the crowd around them clapped their hands, whistling and cheering for the two students. Melody started blushing, though before she could do something reckless like run away, Perci took her hand, gently pulling her closer. "You did great Love. I knew they'd love your singin'."

Taking the complement, she nodded, though her cheeks were still as red as ever. "A-Anyway... I-I think it's a bit late. S-Shouldn't we head back?" Perci raised an eyebrow, taking a peek at her watch, and upon realizing that it was, in fact, gonna be quite late when they get back, sighed and got up, keeping their hands held together.

"Well, that's all for tonight folks!" She waved her other hand, not unlike a celebrity, while the people in the bar each waved back, before returning to the usual mood at the small pub. Stepping outside, Melody could finally take in some fresh air. While the pub itself wasn't bad or anything in her opinion, the amount of things going on at the same time still caught her off guard, and she wanted to take the time to relax a bit. Perci walked next to her, letting her hand go, looking up at the moon and taking a deep, calm breath, sighing contently as the date so far was a total success. "So, Love..." She turned to her, wanting to make sure. "...How was the date so far?" Of course, the date wasn't over quite _yet._ The moment it would end would be when Melody would step inside her dorm room, leaving Perci on her own.

"it was..." Melody took a second, trying to catch her breath still. "...Fun!" Regardless, she had a great time. The food was great, the music was pleasant, and the little duet they held only managed to make Perci even better in her eyes. "I didn't know you can play the piano so well."

Perci shrugged, tapping her cane on the ground as she walked towards Beacon. "Well, guess that's one positive about my childhood. Mother had me learn a bunch of shit." She raised her left hand, tapping each finger as she counted. "Piano, dancing, multiple languages." She stopped for a moment, trying to recall some other high-class skill that was forced on her at the time. "I think there was... Cricket? Right, now I remember, totally cricket." Perci nodded, resuming her reminiscing. "And... I think there was horseback riding. Those are at least the ones that didn't get forgotten with time, though I haven't ridden a horse in like fuckin' years, so I probably can't do that."

"But let me guess, your cricket game is great." Melody joked, chuckling lightly, her angelic voice showing in everything she did. It didn't matter how many times Perci heard her talk, or sing, or laugh, there was just something in her voice that made it incredible. The perfect blend of pitch, length and so on.

Not missing a bit, she stepped in a bit closer. "Well, I may not _really_ how to play cricket..." She took Melody's hands, looking up at the pale moonlight for a second. "But I _do_ remember how to dance."

Getting the hint. Melody looked at her, the blush intensifying once more. "B-But I don't know how to-"

"Shh..." Perci stepped in closer, letting Melody lean on her. Luckily enough, the two of them were almost the same height, Perci being just a tad taller, meaning Melody had ample space to lean on. "Just follow my lead, alright? I might have been taught the female part of dancing, but that doesn't mean I didn't pick anything up."

It started with a single foot. Perci stepped forward, and Melody stepped back. Soon enough, she slowly got the rhythm of the dance, stepped slowly around the small plaza they were in with Perci, her eyes fixated on the girl. She never even imagined that Perci, the rude, loud mouthed bitch of Beacon, would be such a gentle, charming danced. After seeing that Melody got the steps, Perci decided to kick things up a notch, raising her hand and letting Melody slowly spin. She tried, figuring that if on TV they do it flawlessly, she could try it herself, but of course, before she knew it, she was falling headstrong into the floor, as the heel she was standing on bent over.

"Eep!" She yelped in fear, shutting her eyes tightly, though before she could feel the cold asphalt of the ground against her face, a pair of hands caught her right before. She slowly opened them up, looking as Perci stared at her, a mix of amusement and concern in her eyes.

"Oi Love... Gotta be careful there." She spoke gently, though Melody was barely listening to her words. Mesmerized for a brief moment, as the moonlight gave Perci the most brilliant aura around her of white light, she felt comfortable in her hands, forgetting that the two of them were still in a dance. Perci let her stay like that for a few more seconds, enjoying the awestruck expression on her face, though before long she pulled Melody back to standing, the two of them looking at one another with shared affection. "So... I'm guessin' that this means we'll have a second date?" Perci asked, grinning lightly.

Trying to keep her cool, and not jumping on the opportunity, Melody nodded. "Y-Yeah that sound good we can have a second date." She managed to utter through her blushing and stuttering, finishing her sentence with one short breath.

"Alright then, let's hea-" Perci came to finally conclude the dance, though something, a figure at the corner of her eye, managed to startle her. "Hold that thought." She quickly picked Melody to a bridal hold, running into an alleyway with her.

"P-Per-" Trying to protest, Melody's mouth got blocked with her hand, shutting her up for the time being. After making sure that the two of them couldn't be seen from the outside, she let Melody down, peering over from the corner of the wall. "Perci, what happened to you?" Melody came over, looking from above her at the ongoing sees. There she saw an older woman, with rich, violet hair, as well as a stunning, glimmering purple dress.

"That, right there?" Perci explained briefly, watching as the figure went past them, not noticing the two and walking off. "That... was Mother."

Melody's eyes narrowed in shock. She already heard enough about what kind of person she was, and not trusting her looks, she stepped back a bit. "S-So... What now?" She asked, worry in her voice, Perci turning to her, looking more relaxed, though still stressed out.

"Now? Now we go back to Beacon. She doesn't know I'm around, and I'd rather make sure she doesn't know. Ever." The two of them started to walk back into the alley, wanting to get out from the other end, though Melody would soon come to regret that, as thugs started to congregate around them, from both ends. Perci didn't lose her cool, putting on her more usual look. "Get out of my way."

"'Fraid we can't do that, butch." A scrawny looking man stepped forth. "See, blondie over there borrowed some money from us a while back, and the boss is running short on funds. Didn't expect to see her out here so damn quickly, but I guess it's as good time as any to pay." He then turned to Melody, trying to sound threatening. "Five hundred grand. If you would. Or am I gonna have to pay a visit to ma and pa?"

Before Melody could respond, shaking in fear and knees bucked together, Perci raised her hand, blocking her from speaking. "You people... SERIOUSLY think this is gonna happen, don't you?" She started to cackle, raising her cane. She took Melody's hand, holding it gently. "You mind, Love?" She asked, and Melody nodded, forfeiting her aura to the delinquent. "Alright, then..." Her smile grew, crooked and almost cruel. "Let's get this show on the road, shall we?..."

The fight was brutal, messy, through short. Before long, all the thugs were whimpering on the floor, and the apparent leader was in Perci's hands, shaking in place as she gave him a bored expression. "So, what did we learn?"

The aura-less thug fidgeted in fear. "D-Don't fuck with the kingpin?" He asked, though instead of words he got the blunt side of the cane to his head, knocking him out.

"Ya got THAT right!" She got up, walking over to Melody again. "You alright love? I swear, people these days, so ru-" She came to give her usual spiel, bitching about thugs without aura being boring to beat up, though before she could, she Melody's arms wrapped tightly around her neck.

And as she felt her lips pressed tightly around her date's, Perci calmed down, sharing her first kiss with Melody.


	23. Understanding And Acceptance

The weekend rolled along, and so far, nothing too exciting happened with team JPLL. The investigation into the cultist and the grimm kegs was dry so far, with not many leads for them to go after. Ash and Hue, who so far led the effort, decided that a weekend off wouldn't do any of them bad, letting everyone relax in their dorms for the day and do anything they might have wanted. So far, Hue was scribbling something in her book, busy in her craft, like Jin was sitting on the ground, with crayon on her hand, drawing something as well.

Hue looked over at Jin for a quick second, noting her drawing. So far, seeing as Perci was too busy arranging things for the festival, saying she wanted to see it through, and Leila not being around during the evenings for combat practice, Hue found herself spending more and more time alone with her partner and apparent team leader. Despite the fact that none of them even acknowledged Jin as anything leader like, there was no denying that her presence held an effect on those around her. The constant smile, the cheerful attitude, all of those turned Jin into everyone's friend, and there were not many in Beacon who did not at least tolerate her, despite the infusion running through her body.

She looked at the drawings again, putting her book down. From what she understood, Jin got the crayons from Dr. Topaz, Beacon's psychologist, in an attempt to understand what she's thinking better. So far, however, Jin seemed to be drawing the same images over and over, of green trees, blue skies, a bright, yellow sun, and two... auras, for lack of a better term to describe them with. While she drew them with the general shape of a human, each had a color of her own, one bright gold, and one a hew tones brighter, having a roughly feminine shape. Of course, to one of her intellect, it wasn't hard to deduce who she was drawing in the image, and while Jin drawing her mother wasn't anything to note at, the fact that she was drawing it over and over actually drew her attention.

Deciding to look into it a bit, Hue sat on her bed, looking over at the giantess. Approaching her drawing carefully, trying not to draw Jin's attention to herself, she looked over her shoulder, taking a closer glance at the drawing. Alas, Jin's perception of her surroundings proved better then Hue gave her credit for, and her head turned around, looking at Hue directly, the ever-present smile on her face. "Hi!" As always, she started with the same greeting. Hue noted the tone, and just as she remembered it, Jin used the same pitch, almost perfectly repeating the same pattern, over and over. It was rehearsed, a trained habit, something that her mother must have instilled into her in an effort to help Jin integrate into sociality when the time would have come for her.

"Hello, Jin." Hue nodded once, her tone as cold and expressionless as it usually was. Not wanting to disturb the girl, she stepped back a bit, nodding hastily. "Please, don't let me bother you. Just draw like usual." She bit her lower lip, suppressing the need to speak like usual. After all, with Jin, it was impossible to use any word with more than a few syllables, as she learned the hard way.

"Uhh... Okay!" Jin called out, resuming her sketching. She even fell over, laying on her stomach instead, legs swinging about as she hummed to herself, holding the sheet of paper to the floor and continuing her favorite pass-time as of late.

As for Hue, she retreated once more, silently judging the dust girl's skill. She had no form, no proper grip, and the crayon on her hand looked half mashed from the sheer pressure she held it with, the circumference of the end at least double the size it should be. Comparing it to her own sketches, when her research called for it, Hue could easily tell the most major differences between the two, the most notable being her own ability to use a smaller, more accurate pencil. However, as far as imagination went... Hue was trumped. It still perplexed her, how Jin could imagine all the poses and so one, with crayon alone. While her actual talent in drawing wasn't anything impressive, her creativity seemed to be her stronger suit in these cases.

The more she looked at the girl's pretty pictures, the more Hue started to feel something, a feeling she hadn't felt in ages, slowly bubble up inside of her. She looked to the side, where a mirror laid, her own blank expression returning an almost lifeless looking face right at her. Could she truly be jealous of that smile? Was a life of ignorance really worth it?

She shook her head, dismantling her doubts in an instant. She wasn't meant for this, her destiny holding far higher reaches in this world. Nevertheless, she was fascinated, of not a bit, by Jin and her apparent happiness. "Jin..." Hue stepped in again. If there was one thing she knew, it was that sometimes, one must gather data directly. "How do you do it? How are you so happy all the time? Do you never feel sadness, or grief, or anything?"

"Mama told me that I should smile, so I smile!" Jin answered her question with the usual cryptic response, seemingly unaware of the philosophical implications that it held.

How shook her head. "But your mother... She is dead." They knew, all of them. Glynda informed them of her mother's almost inevitable departure from the world a while back, though she never told any of them the details. "Do you not feel sad?"

"But Mama is okay! She told me that herself before I walked!" Jin insisted, looking a tad concerned. Last she saw her, after all, her mother was just fine, if not coughing a bit. But, after all, her aura moved like before.

"But that was weeks, if not months ago." Hue contemplated, refusing to believe Jin held this little logic to her. "There is no chance that your mother is still alive."

"But shit is! Mother is just fine!" Despite the disagreement and argument, Jin's voice held not spite, nor anger towards her partner. To her, it was the simple truth of the world. After all, what was death? Auras didn't stop or disappear like that. "Someday I'm gonna go and visit her!" She added as an afterthought, completely disregarding what Hue had just told her a few seconds prior.

Hue stopped talking back, trying to shrug her off. Jin's simple mind was just too slow for her, so much so that Hue couldn't even hold a proper conversation with her whatsoever. She looked to the door, hoping that perhaps, one of her teammates would show up, saving her from having to deal with the conversation she so foolishly initiated, but alas, none came to her aid, rendering Hue stuck there with a giant she could barely understand.

Before she realized it, however, Jin noticed. She didn't need to see her stern, annoyed expression to grasp what she was feeling, at least through her aura. Jin got up, walking closer to the other faunus of the team, looking a few inches above her, as if Jin perceived her to be taller than she actually was, spreading her arms wide. "D-Do you want a hug? P-Please don't be sad..." Her voice fell a bit, easily affected by the emotions of those around her.

Hue gazed at her, perplexed and confused, both at the consistent height difference between herself and Jin's line of sight, as well as the insistence of hugging, being a cure-all for anything that might have ailed her. Not being much of a hugger herself, Hue stepped back, trying to brush off the gentle child. "No. I do not want a hug?" The inner malice inside of her grew further, only pushing Jin to come forward again.

"B-But hugs ARE good... I-I..." It was rare for Jin to see such hostility directly pointed at her. Sure, other auras weren't always cheerful and bright, but even then she could always see good in them. But, as Hue concentrated on the enigmatic nature of the beast in front of her, as well as the many, many riddles she couldn't even grasp in her life, it was clear that she was dissatisfied with her life as it stood, and all Jin wanted was to try and help her.

"I said no!" Hue actually raised her voice, making Jin stutter in place. She looked around, before crystalline tears started to form at the corner of her eyes, crying loudly at the helplessness of the situation. Then, almost on the mark, her voice came out, falling to her knees as she let the tears fall like a waterfall.

Hue couldn't bear her incessant crying, and stormed out. The moon's light shimmered in the halls as she ran, unable to even feel comfortable with herself anymore. Reaching her usual balcony, she stepped outside, looking up at the moon, closing her eyes and silently wishing that the night would just end already, or at the very least that Jin would calm down.

* * *

A few minutes after, Perci got close to the dorm room, talking on the scroll with Melody. "So anyway, and THEN I told him..." She came to recount some other story she had to tell, before hearing the crying that came from her own dorm, with a voice she already recognized. "Hold it Love, I'll be right back. Looks like I got some bullshit to deal with..." She sighed, approaching the door, and steeling herself for whatever she'd find inside, she opened it up, walking in.

She stepped into the room, only to be welcomed with the sound of cries, and whimpers. Leila was already there, trying to comfort the giantess, though so far it seemed that nothing was working, and Jin just continued with her yapping, grabbing Leila and giving her a bone crushing hug, if nothing to just comfort herself. Suppressing a giggle, Perci got close to the two, trying to get Jin to leave Leila be before her lungs would have gotten crushed or something of the sort. "Alright, time to break it up Brute..." She sighed, using her empowered strength to pry Jin's arms wide enough for Leila to escape her primal grasp, breathing deeply for the air she missed so.

"T-Thank you Perci..." She panted slightly, as Perci let go of Jin's arms, watching them snap shut, though her crying didn't get any better. "I-I wouldn't suppose you have any idea why she's like this, would you?" Leila asked, wanting to make absolutely sure. For a change, she didn't actually believe Perci caused it, though it didn't have any harm to double check.

Perci looked at Jin once, then returned her eyes to meet Leila's silver orbs. "Not a clue." She walked over to her bed, letting herself fall on it, trying to get some much-needed shut-eye, disregarding the loud cries that came from a few feet away from her. "Goddammit... Can you go find the Nerd? Good fucking god, at this rate we'll get a noise complaint or some shit..."

Leila raised an eyebrow. "And why couldn't _you_ fetch her, Perci?"

Perci could only response with a tired look. "No, please, I was just working all day, lifting heavy shit and, you know, CLEANING THE AMITY COLLOSEUM. Do you even have any idea how fucking big that Coliseum is?" Before Leila could even respond, Perci had already interrupted her. "Pretty fuckin' big. And we've been working on it, like, around the clock. So how about you get off your high and mighty horse and go actually DO something, a'ight? Meanwhile, I'll just be here, trying to get some sleep despite the noise..." She sighed, looking at Jin one more time, before getting an idea. She got up, walked over to the giantess, and let herself fall into Jin's embrace, who tightly hugged her. Now, having someone to cuddle with, Jin's voice finally came down, though Perci didn't look pleased with being stuck in place with her. "Well? What do you need, a special invitation?" She asked Leila. "Just go get her already!"

* * *

It didn't take Leila long to find Hue. She was in the first place she looked, staring up at the moon from her usual balcony, trying to tune out the world around her. Leila hesitated for just a split second, noting the stiff body she held at the moment, though soon took a sharp breath, steeling herself for what was to come, walking closer to the faunus.

"Hue?" She asked, trying to sound as gentle as possible. "A-Are... You alright?"

"I don't understand her." Hue gave Leila a single, tired and weary look, the anger washed away, but still present nonetheless. "I could calculate the trajectory of a flying bullet. I could sketch the motions of a dance. I could fathom everything around me." She recounted the many things that her mind gave her. "All... Expect Jin. I don't get her. This world is so complicated... How can one just ignore it all like it didn't matter?" Now, desperation seeped into her voice, getting up and looking distressed. "How can she just not get the fact that her mother has passed on? T-These are things EVERYONE gets, right?" Her eyes were fixated on Leila's, searching for a hint of understanding. "You have to understand these things... Right?"

After that question had hit the air, the silence settled in, as Leila had to think about her words, wanting to choose them carefully. Hue, however, seemed far too important, having planned ahead of the next five or so lines she was going to say. It was a habit she developed, something to occupy her mind while she had to wait for everyone around her to catch on. At the end of the day, no matter how she cut it, Hue was just... Lonely. Lonely in a world where people just couldn't catch up to her.

"H-Hue..." Leila took a deep breath. She could already see the overwhelming amount of thoughts that passed through her friend's mind in every single instant. "I know that understanding Jin is hard, but... She isn't as... Well..." She tried to come up with the right word, while also being politically correct.

"Smart, clever, bright, intelligent, shrewd, astute, able..." Hue started to name every single word she could think of for the task of describing Jin's overall wit. It was a rare instance for her to be as overwhelmed by the slowness of the world around her, though that was why she favored her own book and calculations, rather than interacting with people.

Leila nodded, trying to calm her down. "Yeah, those. Jin isn't like us. There's no need to try and understand her." From there, she shifted her weight a bit, stepping closer, and standing beside her friend, looking up at the night sky with her. "The Lord made her like she is because the Lord chose that this is how she would be. There is no need for us to question his di-"

"Shut up!" Hue interrupted her, raising her voice. "Keep your close minded religious dogma to yourself! Everything has a reason, Leila. Everything can be understood, Jin included. I just need more data, I just need more time to research her and-"

Keeping up the pace, it was Leila's turn to intervene with her line of thought. "And just what were you thinking of doing? Hurting her? Trying to instigate her to see what she'd do? Taking her blood? Can you not see that she is who she is and that is it?" She breathed deeply, trying to quell the anger that was building inside of her. It was unbecoming of someone of her position to show such extreme emotion. "Just let her be, Hue. You don't have to understand everything."

"Yes, I DO!" For the first time in years, Hue shouted. Memories of her siblings, taunting her and ridiculing her for not wanting to wrestle with them flooded back into her mind, and she stepped back, trying to put some distance between herself and the nun. "If I can't understand it, then it's impossible!" She rebutted, shaking her head in denial. "So I have to at least try, but she can't be worked with!"

"Just try and calm down, please. You are impossible to speak to like this. Honestly, what has gotten into you?" Leila, resuming her colder outside to the world, asked the faunus. It didn't take long for Hue to turn on her, seemingly furious with her statement.

"You're not one to talk about this, seeing as you get an anger fit every time someone doesn't agree with your opinions." Her shot hit right at home, and Leila's face twisted in anger.

"I could say the same about you, you know. You barely even emote, as it stands. One might say you have no emotions within you." Her voice, while calm, had venom and spite sewn into it. Seemingly, the both of them were at each other's throats.

"I do feel emotions!" Hue argued, putting a hand on her chest, just above her heart. "I just don't let them control me, unlike you. You try and suppress them so hard, that they find cracks in your facade all the time!" She was at the end of her patience, both for the nun and the world in general, having had enough of her arguments and petty world views. Hue looked back at the moon for a split second, trying to catch a glimpse of the white light that escaped it down towards the earth, hoping that the serene view would manage to help her calm down, but alas... The anger raged on within her. "You know what? I'm done here. I don't have to deal with your nonsense." She stormed out, running back into the dorms, leaving a frustrated Leila behind to manage her own anger, with very little success.

Walking the halls of Beacon itself, Hue had a lot on her mind. She just couldn't understand anything, and her emotions getting the better of her, anger clouded her eyes, though none of it mattered at the moment, not to her at least.

As she turned around one of the corners of the school, not realizing in time what was going to happen, she felt the body of another, slam into her, as the two of them bumped into one another, walking from the other ends of the corner. She fell down to her behind, looking at the person in front of her, realizing that she was staring face to face with the famed Psychologist, Topaz himself. "You..." She muttered to herself, as Topaz got up, walking closer and offering her a hand, smiling gently.

"Oh my... I didn't expect to see a student around her at this hour of the night. Might telling me where you're going?" He asked, though Hue quickly pulled her hand back, getting back up on her own.

She started at him, quickly making assumptions about how reactions to whatever she said. It was like a muscle to her, something that she only needed to flex, and the thoughts flowed into her mind on and on, an endless stream rushing into her mindscape. "You understand her, right? You understand Jin. You have to understand her, right?" The desperation in her voice caught his interest, and he walked closer, recognizing her face behind his glasses.

"Wait... You're her teammate, correct?" He asked, trying to recall her name. "...Hue, was it?"

"Yes yes yes, now please, tell me. Do you understand her? What's her secret? How can Jin be like this?" She bombarded him with questions, holding nothing back, the need to understand filling up every inch of her mind.

He raised his hands, shaking his head lightly. "H-Hold on now, one question at a time." He figured he'd ask her about the reason she was outside so late later. After all, his WAS a psychologist, and it was his job to help the students of Beacon with whatever they had to deal with. If he had a lien for each student that he treated that couldn't handle their teammates, he'd be a rich, rich man. "Tell you what... Let's go talk outside, alright? I think some fresh air would do both of us wonders."

Hue managed to nod, though the walking outside itself with the man she presumed held all the answers felt like hell. Each step, each passing second was like an eternity passed to her, and the corridors around the two started to feel suffocating. She noted a minute case of claustrophobia, though being with the actual psychologist, she figured she might not know all the information needed to make such a self-diagnosis.

The moment they got outside, she took a sigh of relief, being let outside from the condensed halls. "Hah..." She looked up, the storm of emotions slowly passing from her soul. She could feel herself calm down ever so slightly, though she wasn't just there yet. At the very least, soon she'd have all the info she needed. "Alright, then." She turned to Topaz once again, not missing a single beat or even taking a breath beyond what she needed."Jin. What do you know about her?"

"I'm afraid that this is classified information." He argued against her demand. "A psychologist is obligated for student/therapist confidentiality, and I cannot let what even Jin tells me in her sessions outside. If I did that, I would have failed as a therapist, wouldn't I?"

She gasped, suppressing the need to outright scream, trying to take hold of her heart once more. "I... Understand. It's alright." She almost came to leave, though before she could walk away, Topaz grabbed her hand, prompting her to sit down.

"That aside, however... How about _we_ talk? I have a feeling you need some guidance yourself, Hue." It didn't take him long to see that. Hue was in obvious distress, and while her demeanor returned to its blank, passive self, he knew that it would just bubble inside of her, before popping up like a balloon, and this whole mess would just repeat itself. "Please, I am here to help, after all. If you have anything you need to talk about, just feel free."

Hue took a deep breath again, sitting down next to him. She looked at the man, trying to take a guess at how intelligent he was, deciding that it was satisfactory. "I just... It's everything. Everything is too slow and I always have to slow down to keep up with everyone, and I hate it."

He sighed, putting a hand on her shoulder. "Hue, how high is your IQ?"

"The last test I took showed a hundred and fifty, though I have a feeling I could have done better." She replied coldly, and he shook his head slowly, realizing that he was dealing with genius level intellect.

"Well... I sort of know what you're talking about, to a degree. It's not easy being smart. You're fast, and everyone around you is slow. You try and fit in, but by the time people fully manage to understand what you're saying, you already know exactly what to say five sentences down the conversation."

"Exactly!" She called, looking astonished. Everything he said hit right at home for her, especially back in Vacuo, where she'd always have to wait for her brothers to finish the most basic of tasks, like counting their father's wares and so on. "So what can I do? How can I help them get to my level, so I can finally talk to everyone?"

Topaz sighed one more time. "Well, Hue... You can't. The sad truth is, that people like you? People like me? We'll always be too fast. In fact, I'd say you're smarter than me even, from the looks of it." He grinned, giving an attempt to look gentle. "There is, however, one thing you can do to make it easier on yourself."

"What is it? Please, I'll do anything." Hue could barely wait, fidgeting in place while waiting for his advice. She already pictured it, a ten stage plan, with intricate tasks and mechanisms to build, something would keep her busy for days, besides the moon research of course. However, Topaz's answer only managed to seem underwhelming in her eyes.

"Accept them."

She stared at him, looking with disbelief. "Um... What do you mean accept them? Are there any instructions for this, or a book I can read about the subject, or?..."

"Nope." He kept the grin on, hoping she'd realize what he was suggesting. "You just have to stop looking, and let the world come to you."

* * *

It took her about ten minutes to finally calm down, before Hue showed herself back at team JPLL's dorm room. As she stepped inside, she saw Perci, still in Jin's embrace, both of them already fast asleep. Jin's face had marks of tears across her face, though, from the looks of it, they crystallized after a short while, appearing as two lines of crystal going down from her eyes downwards across her cheeks.

She walked closer to her bed, Leila already sitting in her own next to Hues. She took a quick glance at Hue, seemingly apologetically, thinking she went out of life. "Hue, I.."

"It's fine." Hue took a quick glance at Jin, shaking her head off lightly. "I went out of line as well. I think... I think I might need some help."

"That's heartening to know." Leila tried to smile, tucking herself. "Regardless, goodnight Hue. We can talk more tomorrow."

And as Leila fell asleep, Hue wrapped herself in her blanket, a thin smile spreading on her face, thinking about what Topaz had taught her.


	24. Trials By Fire

Finally, after several long weeks of waiting and anticipating, the school dance finally arrived. Many of the students flocked into the halls of the now cleared out cafeteria, enjoying the music and the dancing, some sticking more to the sidelines of the event, while others were taking over the dance floor, ripping it to shreds with sweet moves.

"Ugh," Leila grunted, looking as bored as ever. The last thing she wanted was to get stuck in such a loud, lawless place. Looking over at the well-dressed people, who compared to her modest, simple robes all looked like the rich, she huffed again, trying to find an escape to this mess of an event.

For an answer, Perci strolled in, wrapping a hand around her neck, leaning on her lightly. "Because, Nun..." As she spoke, the faint hint of alcohol drifted from her voice. "This is gonna be one, special night, and we should be allowed to have some fun. I mean those RWBY bitches actually went around arrangin' all of this, so you at least got to let go for the night." She let her go, Leila actively pushing her away, looking a tad annoyed.

Perci took a second look at the dance set out before her. Despite not being very fond of team RWBY for the mess they made in their little food fight a while back, forcing her to clean all of it, she had to give them credit that the place did look, in fact, rather dashing. "And why are you drunk again?" Leila cut her line of thought, her lips curling downwards in disappointment. "Besides promising not to do it again, the rules of the academy explicitly forbid any alcoholic beverages brought into school grounds, let alone consumed by students."

Perci cackled once, huffing her air silently. "...Man, who shoved the ruler up YOUR ass today? Ms. Goodbitch?" She laughed at her own joke uproariously, only making a blood vassal on Leila's forehead to twitch. "And would you just fucking relax? I'm not THAT drunk..." She then rolled her eyes, her grin still on. "...Yet. I'm savin' _that_ one for later~" She looked around again, and then turned to her watch. "Man, where the hell is she? We promised we'd meet up like, ten minutes ago."

She heard a sigh from behind her, turning back to see team ACMM stepping in, Ash wearing a more fashionable coat, as well as leather shoes. Next to her, Undine rolled up, with a seashell in her hair covering a pin, and sporting a blue and red striped dress. After them, Copper came, wearing pretty much her usual outfit, though for some reason she seemed to avoid any atlesian soldiers in the room, and a particular redhead in tow.

They looked over, as Jin, wearing what could only be described as a custom made dress, sewn to fit both her size and her wild tendencies. She frolicked around, dancing and flailing to the music, with Hue, who had a white dress of her own, running after her, trying to make sure Jin didn't smash into any of the tables. "Good grief..." Perci sighed, shaking her head lightly. "They're already at it?"

"Seems so," Undine concluded, looking over at the punch bowl, as well as the snacks arranged in plates next to it. "Anyway... I'm missin' my date." She grinned, turning over to the food.

"Hold on, I thought you told me you didn't _get_ a date." Ash corrected her, looking a tad confused. "Who the hell did you get to-"

Undine chuckled, looking at her bamboozled team leader. "But Ash, don't you know? The way to a woman's heart is through her stomach!" She grinned, eyeing the delicious pastries presented over on the table.

"...A man."

"Hmm?" Now it was Undine's turn to raise an eyebrow, as Ash corrected her. "What do you mean, 'A man'?"

"The way to a MAN'S heart is through his stomach," Ash explained. "As the last I saw... You ain't got no male parts on ya." She snickered, Perci joining in.

"...Whatever, I got food to eat. Laters!" She bounced, rushing to the many plates on the tables, taking a while chocolate filled croissant, and munching on it, enjoying each bite.

In the few seconds that it took Undine to dash off, Perci waved her head again. "Welp, she's off. And speaking of..." She then turned to ash, coming to ask, though before she could relay the question, Ash already gave a sigh, knowing what she was going to say.

"It's Mel, what'd you expect? Before we headed out she was still doing her hair." Ash explained, Perci nodding in agreement. By now, the two of them already had two or so dates, which went fine, as far as Perci could tell. Naturally, when the time for the dance came, she asked, and Melody cheerfully agreed, though her habit of being late to things due to over preparation began to irk on Perci more and more. Regardless, as she turned her head, watching her little angel walk into the ballroom, looking like the personification of beauty itself, Perci's heart couldn't help but melt. It was worth waiting for her, each and every time.

She walked in, like the gentlewoman she was, being the first to greet the last member of team ACMM, tipping her hat. Perci, for the most part, was already dressed up for a dance, though she got her suit all cleaned out and washed, polished her shoes, took a long, careful shower, and made sure everything was perfect about her, from the way she looked to the way she smelled even. "I've been expecting you." She bowed lightly, raising only her head, looking at Melody with calm, smooth eyes. "...Shall we?"

Melody blushed, keeping up the act of a high society woman, raising her hand to be held gently by Perci's. Her heart skipped a bit, as Perci lifted her head, kissing the back of Melody's hand gently, eagerly waiting for her to give the green light for the two of them to set out. "...Yes. We shall." Melody grinned, and Perci got up, holding her tenderly as she led the two of them towards the dance floor.

Watching the two of them head off, dancing slowly to the sound of the music, Leila scoffed her shoes a bit, looking outside to the terrace. She had enough, having come there only due to obligation, and as she had her fill with loud noises, decided it was high time to leave, going to look at the moon, away from the hassle and bustle. There, as she finally took a breath of fresh air, sighing contently and trying to calm down, she saw another figure, standing at the very edge, looking to the outside. Unlike the many students that waltzed about inside, she wasn't wearing any sort of garment, instead having white, thin armor around her body, looking rather slender and nimble than bulky. The white porcelain on the armor shined vividly by the moonlight, giving her a heavenly glow, to a degree. From behind, she could see the girl had no hair, as the mask covered the entire upper section of her head, though the porcelain itself stretched out to both ends of her head, about one foot in each direction, pointing downwards and ending in a tip, though dulled out.

Leila looked closer, fixing her glasses to make sure she got the gender right. After making sure, she stepping in, clearing her throat to get the young woman's attention. "H-Hello?" She gasped as the being turned, a white porcelain mask covering her upper face. "It's you..." Leila stepped back. "You're the one who beat Perci in that combat lesson..."

The girl nodded once, looking back outside. "Indeed. I am her." She spoke, her voice dry and cold, holding little to no sympathy for the world around her. She sighed, leaning on the banister, looking yonder. "And I assume you are a teammate of hers, correct?"

Leila nodded, keeping her calm for now. "Yes, I am." She stepped in, taking a light bow. "Leila Heavenward. A pleasure to meet you." She introduced herself, as she usually did. However, the only response she got was a hollow, empty chuckle, almost entirely unnoticeable if not for the subtle movement of her shoulders and head.

Taking a deep sigh, the Haven Reaper turned over again, looking at her through the opaque mask, completely hiding her expression, if not for her crooked mouth, only hinting at what she felt within. "You really haven't changed, Leila..." She mused, as if knowing her for years. "So tell me... How are things in Hopestead? Is the church still in power?"

"H-How do you?..." Leila stood back, shocked. Her hand reached out for where her weapon would usually be, distrusting such a person from the get go, though she quickly remembered that she left it at her dorm, cursing herself for her negligence. "H-How do you know me? Do you have a semblance that allows this, and if so, how dare you use it on-"

"Enough." The other girl cut her before she could finish her accusations. Cutting her own anger right there and then, heavily restraining herself, she shook her head lightly. "I suppose I can't blame you for not remembering... After all..." She pointed to her face. "Last you saw me, I didn't look like this."

At this point, Leila's curiosity grew even wider, she started to run through people she knew, though none of them would even fit her description, at least not from memory. "Then I deeply apologize, as I cannot remember. Perhaps the name would jog my memory?" She asked, still not entirely certain if the Huntress was lying to her face or not. Regardless, she pressed the question, expecting a proper introduction in tow.

Instead, the other's hand raised up, touching the mask gently. Slight hissing noises, as well as white smoke appeared from behind the front, a stream on each side, as the mask detached itself from her face. "I got a better idea..." She said as she slowly removed the mask, showing Leila the horror that laid underneath.

The entire part of her face, at least that was covered by the mask, was burned to a crisp, or at least, got churned at some point of her past. The skin was deformed, far beyond recognition, and her nose was almost entirely missing, having two holes that she seemingly struggled to breathe in without her mask's support. Her scalp was entirely bold, as no hair would possibly survive such a fire, leaving her mangled skin as is.

But despite all that, the one thing that did manage to survive, with browless, bare skin, was her eyes.

They burned, an inferno behind her pupils, each eye like a blazing sun that knew no end to her fierceness. They blazed at her, like a splinter of the fire that took away her face remained within, fueling her very soul with life and energy. Despite her condition, she looked at Leila as proud as ever, a lion that did not know fear, nor to hold back. It only took Leila a single, instant moment to recognize the person standing in front of her.

"...Elaine?" She asked shocked, as the other girl put the mask on, sealing it around her face, nodding at her childhood friend.

"It's been quite the while, Leila." She nodded, revealing her name at last. Elaine then returned to gazing at the city below them, her tone never changing, taking a deep breath through her nose, as the mask got readjusted. "Quite some time indeed..." As Leila stared at her, at a loss for words, she took out a thin, crimson colored piece of velvet, using it to gently clean her mask, from her own fingerprints, making sure it was perfect before putting the small napkin away.

"B-But..." Leila still struggled to come up with something to say, looking in horror at the fate of her friend. "You... Mistral..." The memories reeled through her mind, recalling them like a hidden treasure, lost to time until that very moment. Elaine, for the most part, grew up with her, though when Leila was six, Elaine's parents had to move to Mistral itself, taking her long lost friend with her. "W-What... What in the name of the Lord happened to you, Elaine?"

"The Lord?" Anger rose up in her voice, as she stood up, towering over Leila, turning herself entirely in her direction. She didn't need to see what was behind the mask to know the anger she felt. "God is what did this to me. THIS, is your god, Leila. This, is who you pray for." Her voice naturally raised, almost to a shout, making Leila step back, slightly intimidated. Regardless, she kept her faith strong, marching back into the conversation, the gentle, caring Elaine in her mind replaced with this cold creature.

"No. The Lord would never do something like this to someone like you. It is impossible." She repeated, arguing again for the righteous and kind nature of her god.

Elaine, on the other end, simply took a sharp breath. "Then let me tell you... Let me tell you how it all happened." Her head fell for a quick second, beginning to recall the pivotal moment that her life changed entirely. "I was... Ten, at least. I was in our old house, before the incident. Mother and Father were out of town, and I was left all alone..." She lingered on that line, as if trying to hold on to the last happy moment she had as a child. "...With an oven, accidently left turned on."

Leila's eyes widened in horror, realizing where it was going. "Of course, the loaf of bread inside was lost. It lit up, taking the oven with it, and from there the entire kitchen started to blaze, and little me, just watching her show, was completely oblivious to the impending disaster." She continued. "By the time I started to smell the smoke... It was too late. The fires spread far too quickly, the roof already painted with red and yellow. I tried to get up, and run to the door..." Again, another pause, bringing the turn to the worst with it. "...As one of the boards from the ceiling fell over, right on my face."

"E-Elaine..." Leila looked at her own palms. While she could heal injuries, or mend wounds... Scars like hers were far out of her reach. "I-I'm so..."

"Sorry?" Elaine finished her sentence for her, looking as cold as ever. "Sorry that the paramedics who arrived there on time managed to save me, and not god? Sorry that the Lord we both worshiped all this time turned his back on me, leaving me as a cruel reminder that shit happens?" The vulgar language managed to irk Leila a bit, and she shook her head.

"B-But, in the fight, you used..." She realized something, and Elaine, in response, took out a red crystal from a pocket in her armor, running it alongside the porcelain finger covering her actual finger, until it lit up, holding the small flame in her hands.

"Yes... I did. See, I learned something that day, when the doctor told me my face would never heal." She continued, showing a side of her Leila never knew even existed. "I learned that I couldn't put my faith in god. I can't let some divine being tell me how to live my life, and just hope that he... She..." She paused again, looking for a proper term. "...IT, would save me when the time comes. No... I learned that my destiny is my OWN!" She lifted the fire in her hand, using the dust to amplify it, until a moderate looking blaze flickered in her fingers. "And THIS, is my proof! I took the one thing that stole my life away, and bent it to my will! I no longer fear the flames, Leila! I no longer fear ANYTHING!" Her voice, filled with conviction and resolve, raised up to nearly a shout, lost to her own passion. "And that's when I realized it."

"Realized what?" At this point, Leila couldn't believe what had become of her friend. She stared in shock, the words leaving her mouth as Elaine brought the final part of her story forth, cutting the flames and killing them.

Elaine straightened her back one more time, appearing her regal as she could get. "I learned that if I wanted to change things... I'd have to do it myself. Even if it meant conquering each of the four kingdoms by myself. Destroy the old world order..." And clenched her fist, not unlike a tyrant, as if the world of Remnant was at the palm of her hand. "And bring forth a new one."

At that point, Leila screamed at her, shaking her head wildly. "That's madness! You can't do this! Do you realize how many people would suffer from your actions?!" She protested, blinded by zealous anger. "The Lord made this world so each of us could live as we see fit! Not to be lead like sheep!"

"And yet this is what YOU do!" Elaine yelled right back, despite keeping her temper in check. "YOU let the faith run your life! YOU do the bidding of a false god, who doesn't care if you lived or died! YOU are being led like the cattle to the slaughterhouse! Suffering is a must if we are to create TRUE peace! TRUE equality! The kingdoms can't do it, the White Fang will fail at it. No..." She turned over again, stepping to the very edge of the terrace. "The only one fit to bring this golden age is me."

Having heard how far her friend had fallen, Leila's face fell grim. "...I see, then, what you have become." She tried to act brave, but inside, she felt it. Something sparked within her, questions unanswered, and despite trying to brush them off...

She felt doubt.

She quickly shook her head again, cleansing herself of those impure thoughts. She was taught too well to falter in her faith, still trying to rationalize this unfortunate event. "...This is a test!" She called out, Elaine turning her head back to the nun furiously. "Yes, I see it now! The Lord has decided to test you, and help you move forward-"

Before she could finish that thought, Elaine rushed towards her, giving Leila a ringing slap with the back of her hand. As Leila fell to the floor, all hope for the salvation of her friend lost in her heart, Elaine looked at her from above, like an empress to be, cold to the touch, but burning with an actual drive to change the rotten world they were in for the better. "A test? A good god doesn't torture children for a test, Leila. This?" She pointed to her mask once more, her mouth frowning heavily. "This is the real face of your god."

Leila stayed on the ground, looking upwards into the air, as Elaine left. She crossed the balcony, reaching the entrance back to the ballroom, to rejoin with her team, looking back at her one more time, swinging her head over. "...It was nice to see you again, Leila." She added as an afterthought. "I'm... Sorry." Regretting unleashing her temper as she did, Elaine stepped inside, leaving a shocked and lost Leila in her wake.

It took her a few minutes to finally get up, deciding she had enough of the party regardless. She blazed through the dance hall, ignoring anyone and everyone, reaching for the main door and stepping outside from the other end, leading her to the main courtyard of Beacon. The full moon shining above her, reflected by her silver eyes, she looked for something, _anything_ , that would be able to save her wandering mind from the pit of uncertainty she was thrown into. Elaine's words, the mask she wore, the fond memories of the gentle girl she knew turned nigh madwoman played repeatedly in her mind, seeking some sort of comfort from her life, if not just for a brief moment.

It was then that her salvation arrived, beholding an entranced Jin, staring up at the moon, Hue sitting next to her. The two of them, seemingly on better terms then she last saw them, were each quiet as a mouse, not making even the slightest noise. Hue had her book in her hands, opened up on some sketches, recently made, though at the moment the pencil she had on her was at her side, fallen. Her eyes looked up, merely enjoying the gentle light the moon had to give. Jin, on the other hand, seemed entirely transfixed by the celestial object, not moving an inch, eyes looking up and only up. Whatever it was she saw, it made sure to get the full might of her attention, as the world collapsing around her wouldn't make her budge.

Leila approached the two of them, eyes glancing at the ground, beaten in the battle of wits and faith. Sitting next to Hue, she softly glanced at the moon, trying to decipher the mysteries that the two of them saw in it. After a few minutes of sitting in a fetal position, arms wrapped around her bent knees, Hue noticed her presence, taking a gender in her direction. In the moon's light, she seemed far calmer, as if the insatiable need to understand was quelled, of not for a single night, by the moon above them. "Is something on your mind, Leila?" She asked, seeing through her expression.

Leila turned her eyes away, avoiding Hue's gaze, speaking weakly and softly. "I met a friend today... Someone I haven't seen in a long time..." As she spoke, her tone grew darker, her head falling in between her knees.

"And she betrayed me."

Thinking for a moment, Hue sighed, putting a hand on her back and rubbing it gently, trying to calm her down. "There, there... Care to tell me what happened?" Something changed in her voice, it was evident. Hue seemed a little more relaxed, or accepting, though the need to know everything was still present in her tone. Leila looked up, recalling the past hour or so of her life, from meeting Elaine, to her little speech, to the way the Lord treated her, Hue nodding quietly with each passing sentence.

"...And I just don't understand, Hue." Leila asked the wiser of the two of them. "I was taught that the Lord had a plan for each of us. That I was meant for great things, that I would be a savior for my village." She glanced up again, the moon's light never changing. "Was it all wrong? Why am I feeling this doubt? I shouldn't be, but I AM, and it... Scares me." It finally came. The admittance that she was reluctant to recognize all that time. "It scares me that a person like Elaine could turn into something like this. That _I_ could turn into something like this."

After that, the silence returned, as Hue retreated inside, seeking advice that could help her friend find her path. In truth, Hue agreed with Elaine. She saw god as a means to an end, to control the population, if nothing else. But regardless, stomping on Leila's feelings wouldn't be wise, as she wanted to try and follow Topaz's advice. For a change, instead of being her blunt self, she cleared her throat, finally coming up with proper wording to help explain herself. "Well... Think about it like this." She began, Leila bracing herself for another bashing on her beliefs. "Do you think that her condition was a challenge from god?"

Caught off guard for a bit, Leila nodded. "Y-Yes. I am sure of it." At this point, she fully convinced herself that this was the truth. The Lord doesn't do these things without reason, and it must have been to push Elaine into her destiny. "This has to be a trial by chance."

Hue nodded, helping Leila follow her logic. "Then... Let Elaine think what she wants. If she doesn't see things your way, that doesn't mean you still can't be friends. I've had a lot of people I argued with on things, and still had mutual respect for one another."

"But this is different!" Leila exclaimed. "Elaine was a part of our church! She and I were acolytes together! We even shared a teacher when we were children..." She tried to explain the significance of this so-called betrayal. "And she just left it all behind. I just don't understand..."

A soft grin managed to find its way to Hue's lips. "A wise man once told me that I couldn't understand everything. I still disagree with him, but I think that I DO understand what he was trying to say." She glanced up at Leila, keeping her smile up. "It's okay not to know right away. It's okay if it even takes a lot of time. I just know that one day I'll make it." She explained herself, looking over at the ball. Sighing in relief, she managed to drag Jin outside, resumed her moon gazing. "And it's okay."

Leila was left to ponder her words, before looking back at the moon herself. For a split second, she thought she saw it, that faint glimmer of something beyond the veil, though she soon convinced herself it was just an illusion. Letting go of it, for now, she resigned herself to being with the rest of her team, letting the time fly by as her mind finally settled down from the storm.

At the end of the day... She still found a friend.


	25. A New Lead

The days that preceded the first year's first mission were filled entirely with excitement and dread from many of the students. Some were thrilled to finally go out on the real deal, fighting grimm, saving ladies, and being a hero like they so wanted. Some felt terrified to leave the safety of Beacon, not believing they were ready yet, and wanting to bide their time before putting their skills to the test. In the case of team ACMM, however, it was a mixture of both.

The team took another stroll across town. Coming up with no leads whatsoever started to push Ash to the edge, wanting to do anything she could to finally get a solid lead on the cultists, and their relation to Merlot Laboratories. As they looked around the industrial district, Ash leading the fray, Undine walked right by her side, always on the lookout, trying to find some sort of lead that could help them move the investigation to the fun part, read, kicking ass and looking awesome. "Man... When are we gonna find something already..." She pouted, sounding as bored as ever.

Ash glanced in her direction, rolling her eyes. "We won't find anything if you keep being this loud all the time, Undine. Can you just keep quiet until I tell you to or something? I mean look at Melody and Copper." She looked to her back, seeing Copper right behind her, and Melody walking a good amount of feet away, looking scared to stroll about the industrial district. When Ash realized that her partner was paying the coward again, she stopped the group, walking up to Melody, and patting her on her shoulder, trying to calm her down. "Oh, come on now, Mel. You don't have to worry, alright? I mean... All of us are armed." She pulled her baton, while Undine flashed her trident. "INCLUDING yourself. So really, if anyone has to be afraid here is whoever is crazy enough to mess with three huntresses in training." Copper nodded in agreement, and Undine gave her a thumbs up, grinning widely with her eyes closed.

Melody looked at the group, trying to shake off her fear. There was just something about the Eldritchan Grimm that still scared her, despite it all, but regardless, she reassured herself. "There won't be any grimm, there won't be any grimm, there won't be any grimm..." She repeated this small mantra that she came up with a while back, closing her eyes and muttering to herself, until she felt the fear wash away, at least for now, opening her eyes and giving Ash a brave look. "Yeah, alright. Let's go then."

Looking at the determination in her eyes, Ash couldn't help but smile. "Now that's the Melody I know and-" As she came to finish her thought, her scroll rang, and she picked it up, the image of her father appearing on the screen. "Hold on; it's dad, he might have something for us." She lifted the scroll to her ear, as Clint began the conversation. "Yo, hey dad..."

While Ash was busy speaking with her father, Undine approached Melody, smirking. "So... What now, feeling scared without your..." She paused, emphasizing her words, putting some tease into her tone. "D-A-T-E?"

"W-What?!" Melody felt herself blush, becoming flustered, stepping back a bit, away from the grinning fish. "N-No I don't! W-What makes you think that?!" Alas, her expression was far too easy to read, and Undine quickly saw through her facade, the curl on her lips growing even wider than ever before, as even her gills started to stretch a bit.

"Oh, come on... It's not that hard to read you when you're like this. All I have to do is just mention her _name_ and you get all red." She chuckled, Melody looking away in embarrassment. "Then again, it doesn't take a genius to see you have a crush on her." Undine waved her head, pretending to have figured it all out by herself, while in truth, Ash had to tell her everything to help her get a clue.

"I-I... I mean..." Melody started to shake her head again. "I-I..." Finally, she gave up, sighing in defeat and admitting her true feelings to her friend. "Yeah, I guess I do kinda have a crush..." Her words lessened in volume as she went, ending her sentence on a mere whisper. "A-And I suppose I'd feel safer if she was here. I guess."

Undine, on the other hand, just shook her head, trying to tone down her teasing. "Ah, don't worry about it Mel. I'm just teasin'. You know that, right?" Melody slowly nodded, Undine cheerfully smiling again, turning to Ash again to see how the conversation with her dad was going so far. "So, Ash, what's up?"

As she asked, Ash just finished talking with Clint, hanging up her scroll and sliding it back into her pocket. She had a notebook in one hand, and a pen in the other, having scribbled down a few things during the conversation. "I got some good news, gals! Turns out my dad managed to track down a former scientist of Merlot Laboratories to Vale!"

"Kickass!" Undine started walking forwards, completely oblivious to the fact that none of the others followed. When it finally dawned on her, she turned around, looking curious at the group. "Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go!" She resumed her pacing one more time, and when she looked back, only to see the others still right where they started, she walked back, frowning a bit. "What's the deal here? I thought you say we tracked him down."

Ash waved her head, looking a tab disappointed. "And do you REALLY think it's gonna be THAT easy just to waltz into someone's property and go 'Hey, we wanna ask you about cults and your former boss!'" She pulled out the addressed she sketched, showing it was not only in the opposite direction but a while away from them. "Trust me, if we're gonna get through to this guy, we'll need to prepare..."

* * *

A few minutes later, the team finally arrived at their destination, being a large, empty looking warehouse, at least from the outside. Ash did a quick survey of the parameter, Copper taking the other side of the building, and once she determined that the coast was clear, she called Undine and Melody over, pointing at the building before them. "Well, this is it. This is where he's staying." She looked confident in her information, certain that they've found their target. "There is only one major issue, however. The door is locked from the inside, and making a scene would make him flee..."

Pondering their next move, it was finally Undine's turn to shine, raising her hand and waving it about. "Oh! Oh! I know what to do!" She called out, Ash quickly blocking her loud mouth with her palm, shutting her up.

"What?! What is it?!" She gave a hushed yell, trying to get Undine to calm down. The last thing she needed on a mission like this was Undine's temper going out of control and scaring off their target, if she didn't already.

Once Ash was fully sure that Undine wasn't going to scream her idea for the entire world to hear, she let go of her mouth, Undine rubbing it with her own palm to clean it. "I could use my semblance. You know, like, dive under the floor, walk to the other side, and unlock the doors from the inside!" She grinned, looking impressed with her idea, though not entirely sure if she could even pull it off. Regardless, she wanted to try it, having training on her semblance ever since the Eldritchan incident, and this seemed like a great chance to do so.

Ash shifted her weight around, thinking. "Hmm... This _could_ work... But are you _sure_ you're ready for this? It would include actually moving while diving about, and last I saw you didn't really get the hang of that." Nothing really escaped Ash's sights when it came to her teammates. She pretty much knew what Undine was doing, and wasn't sure about the idea in total. "I mean if we had a wall you could dive from one end off and get out the other, it would have been far easier, but the entire building is made of tin..."

"Well... I wanna try it anyway." Undine gave her a thumbs up, putting on a brave face. "Time I finally did something with this power of mine." Throwing caution to the wind, she stepped to the side, leaning her weapon against the wall. Unfortunately, she couldn't figure out how to take things like weapons with her down under just _yet,_ pointing at Oceanline to get the others' attention. "Look after my baby, eh?" She chuckled, closing her eyes, and starting to concentrate.

Before she could fully dive, however, Ash came quickly, putting a hand on her shoulder and cutting her concentration. "Before you do this... Just be careful, alright? And if you sense _anything_ isn't right, I want you to get out of the diving mode asap. We still don't know what happens if you run out of aura while inside, and I don't intend to find out today."

Undine shrugged her off, looking a tad annoyed, but complying nonetheless. "Yeah, yeah, I know. I'll be careful. Alright, wish me luck!" She gave them one last smile, returning to her concentration, slowly sinking into the ground, as her feet began to phase into the concrete.

Watching her descend into the floor, Melody couldn't help but look away. While Copper already started mastering her semblance, she still had no idea what her own semblance actually _was_. So far, she never exhibited any sort of power that went above dust or aura, leaving Melody stuck without a clue to the unlocking of her semblance. Copper, observing her fallen expression, walked over, trying to be comforting, at least in her own way. "There is always the probability that your semblance is, in fact, passive. Thus, it would be far harder for you to recognize it, though it would still be active nonetheless."

Melody raised her head, looking at the short figure. She sighed, straightening her back, a bit distressed nonetheless, but taking Copper's advice to heart. "I know Copper. Thanks. But still... I would sure love to know what it is." She contemplated, looking over again as Undine fully sank into the ground, completely vanishing under the world.

Undine had to work fast. Moving in solid material was still very hard for her, and to top it all off, her aura was shaved quite quickly by her semblance, eating away at it far quicker than she anticipated. By the time she moved far enough to assume she was inside the warehouse itself, she could already feel herself almost entirely drained, thinking for a split second if this was how one of Perci's victims felt when she drained them dry. _'Alright... This should do. I think.'_ She glanced upwards out of habit, unable to see exactly where she was, starting to let go of her grip on the depths of the group, starting to rise slowly towards the ground.

However, when her head should have finally popped out of the ground, it didn't.

She started to panic. She was still rising upwards, but there was no end to it in sight. Her aura was depleting faster and faster, and Undine started to watch her entire life flash before her eyes, praying to whatever it was out there that she'd make it.

Suddenly, her head burst out, hitting the ceiling. She winced at the pain, trying not to yelp or make any other noise, looking around, realizing that she decided to rise right under a stack of crates, pushing her to the very top. As the rest of her body came out, already laying down, she took a quick survey, seeing that the warehouse was empty for the most part, sans a single person, before some blueprints, seemingly writing on them. Rolling to the edge of the crates, she quietly made her way down, noting that the key to the doors hung next to the lock itself, only making her job easier.

One unlocked door later, and the remainder of the team snuck their way inside, Copper handing Undine her weapon as she did. They walked towards the unsuspecting man, clearly too busy with his blueprints to notice four girls approaching him, as the tallest one of them tapped him on the shoulder. "Not now, I'm busy!" He called out, suddenly realizing that he wasn't alone. She turned around in one quick motion, looking as the redhead of the group waved at him, and panicked. "D-Did HE sent you?! Please, I don't want to be a part of this anymore! I told Merlot I'm fucking done!" She started protesting, expecting the worst, though before he could prattle on for much longer, Ash closed in, shaking her head.

"Don't worry, will ya? We're not with Merlot. In fact... We were hopin' you could, well... Assist us, to a degree." She grinned at him coyly, Undine and Copper walking to the doors and shutting them down, key and all. "Now, as I was sayin'..." Ash sent out a hand, pressing it against the man's chest, pushing him back a bit. "What can you tell us about Dr. Marlot?"

He looked to the sides, nervous and afraid, but begrudgingly speaking regardless. "H-Him? He's a madman, that's for sure." The former scientist started talking. "He wanted to control the grimm, if you believe it or not. Made an entire island facility for it too. We were all stationed there, forced to work on some mutagen for him or something, he never explained to us the full details."

"I see..." Ash pondered, mentally making notes of his words. "Any idea why he wanted to control grimm?"

He simply waved his head. "I JUST said I didn't know anything, alright? We were just grunts to him, all we did was research. I don't even have any of the notes from then, if you're THAT curious." He scoffed her off, still leaning back from her hand. "C-Can you let up the hand?"

Realizing he wasn't going to run away, she slowly lifted her arm, letting her straightened his back. Taking a few minutes to think and connect whatever dots she could, she then turned to him one more time, having another burning question to ask. "And would you happen to know anything about a cult, or ichor that summons grimm?"

His eyes widened in terror, shaking his head wildly. "No... He didn't..." He muttered in disbelief, the others turning their attention to the man.

Ash acted quickly, grabbing him by the collar of his shirt, trying to snap him out of his panic attack. "What? What do you know? Tell me!" She raised her voice, in an attempt to intimidate the man into talking again.

"I-It was one of the researchers in my division." He started to explain, frantically scouring his memory for whatever pieces of information he could spare. "H-He was actually promoted to directly assisting the doctor, but was fired only a few days after. A week after THAT, an entire shipment of kegs we were supposed to get from wherever the hell the doctor got them from straight up never showed up, having being delivered to the wrong address. We all suspected that he might have wanted to take vengeance on the doctor, but if the rumors were true..." He looked at Ash one more time, paler than before. "Then we have to find his supply before he floods the kingdom with grimm."

The others exchanged worried glances, leaving the man be. Getting what they came for, Ash turned around, walking towards the door. "Alright team, we're out of here. Time to head back." She concluded, as Melody, Undine, and Copper followed suit, walking away and leaving the old man be.

First to speak after that was Melody, a good while after getting out of there, already on route to Beacon. "So... What now? Do we tell the teachers?"

Ash shook her head. "Absolutely not. We can't have panic spread throughout the school, let alone the staff. It would only make fighting against this harder." Ash sounded resolute and definitive. "We have to find out what we can on our own, so I want all of you to keep quiet. Understood?"

"Affirmative." Copper complied almost as quickly as Ash spoke, nodding once.

"Copy that chief." Undine gave her a small, playful salute, waving two fingers outwards from around her head.

"Y-Yeah. Got it." Melody nodded as well, not saying much after that.

After all of her team spoke, Ash grinned faintly, looking towards Beacon. "Good. Cause now that we have the information... Time we got the strength to do something about it."

* * *

"Oh come on, Jin! You're not gonna hurt anyone!"

Perci's voice reverberated throughout the arena, as she, Leila and Hue all stood in front of their supposed team leader, trying to convince her that sparring with them won't do them any bad.

"No!" Jin crossed her arms, looking away from them. "Fighting is bad! Mama said so!"

Perci almost stomped on her hat in fury, audibly growling to herself and grumbling. So far, while they should have started training about an hour ago, most of it was spent trying to convince Jin to join them, with very little success. She was adamant, for sure, and no amount of talking, yelling, or outright attacking her changed her opinion. Each time Perci threw a punch in her direction, she got out of the way, pouting and looking away from them, refusing to join in the combat session.

Perci was at the end of her patience, looking at the other two tired of Jin's bullshit. "Let's just start on our own... If she wants to be like that, then fuck it, I ain't havin' her shit." At this point, she just wanted to start already, Jin or not.

Leila, however, shook her head. "No. We need to help Jin develop just as much as we need development. We can't just exclude her each time we want to train ourselves, she'll fall behind."

Perci tilted her head to the side, looking at the nun with a confused expression. "Uh, did you forget the part where she BREATHED FIRE? You know, that one time, when we were fighting that one fucking grimm, and she took it one on one and BREATHED FUCKING FIRE? I'd say that the brute can do pretty damn well on her own, won't you?" She looked over at Hue, who was staying silent for the most part. "Hey Nerd, what do you think?" She asked, the faunus nodding once. "See, if SHE agrees with me, then-"

"No," Hue interjected, cutting her sentence. "I was actually agreeing with Leila. We should try and include Jin." She concluded her opinion, Perci crossing her arms and trying to think about what to do.

Before long, she got an idea, slamming her fist into an open palm. "I have it! You two should, like, fucking fight or something, you know, to show her that it's not that bad for people to do that." She suggested, Leila and Hue looking at one another, contemplating her offer.

"Hmm... She has a point you know. It might be worth a shot." Hue nodded, walking to one end of the arena.

Leila walked to the other end, nodding wordlessly. She took out her weapon, looking at Perci for a brief moment. "If Jin tries to intercept her, stop her, alright? Remember, this spar is for the purpose of helping her see that it isn't bad for auras to fight one another if no one gets hurt."

Perci shrugged, letting her shoulders drop, walking over to Jin and standing by her, just in case. "Yeah, yeah... Just start already, okay?"

The two of them looked at one another, each more silent than the last, waiting for the other to make the first move. "Very well, then." Leila uttered when she realized Hue wasn't going to do anything anytime soon. "Then I shall have the first strike!" She raised her blade, spinning the barrel on her weapon, hitting the brown earth crystal. She sent it down, sticking her blade into the ground, sending a tremor around her, the ground shaking loudly to her command.

Hue reacted just as quickly, jumping upwards. Not wasting a moment ,she transformed her weapon, taking an arrow filled with ice dust, aiming it dead on at Leila's glasses and taking her shot, the arrow piercing through the air in blinding speeds. Leila struggled to lift her blade from the ground, cutting the quake in the middle, raising Caliborn just high enough to block it, mere grazing the tips of her hair. The arrow deflected, it flew past, hitting the wall behind her, exploding into a rather large ice flower, Leila taking a quick glance to study the effects of the arrow.

"You're open!" Hue called out, sending another one, needing less than a second to aim. This time, Leila rolled out of the way, keeping a healthy range between herself and her opponent, giving the barrel a quick spin, landing on lightning dust. She swung her blade in Hue's direction, sending a lightning bolt at the airborne faunus, who couldn't react in time, being hit directly and flying away, hitting the seats of the arena.

Sensing something was wrong, Jin sprung into action, attempting to intercept the duel and help Hue, just as Leila predicted. However, before she could move, Perci quickly grabbed her arms, pulling her backward. "Nope! Just look, alright! She'll be fine!" Despite having a ton of aura to augment her own strength, Perci was surprised each time at the immense strength Jin exhibited. It didn't take much from her to push Perci far more than anyone else around her does, at least when it came to raw physical prowess, forcing the delinquent to pull back with almost everything she got, restraining Jin by a slim margin, but restraining her nonetheless.

Just as Perci said, it didn't take long for Hue to get back up on her feet. Her aura, soaking the damages up, still took a heavy blow, leaving her with little of it left. Regardless, she jumped back into the arena, raising her weapon. "I'm not done yet. The fight is over when it's over."

Admiring her drive, Leila spun the barrel again, this time to fire dust. She raised her blade, calling upon the rain of fire, easily her favorite skill in her arsenal, though as the balls of fire started to descend from above the two of them, she faltered. For a split second, Elaine's words, and her show of strength against what should have traumatized her flooded back into her mind, leaving Leila looking upwards at the fire, mesmerized to a degree, but also wide open.

Hue took the chance she was given, transforming her weapon back to a katana, and working her way around the volley of fireballs. It didn't take long for her to calculate their estimated trajectory, as each of them moved in a straight line, and before long, she was face to face with the lost nun, who just then realized she got sloppy.

"It's over." Hue spoke coldly, pressing the sharp end of her blade against Leila's throat. They stared at each other for a few minutes, none saying anything, before Leila sighed.

She let Caliborn drop to the ground, as Hue brought back Lunnos Gladiolus. "Fine... I yield. Good match, Hue." Leila took a polite bow, Hue returning it out of mutual respect.

"My victory only came at your unfortunate trailing out." Hue noted. "I hope you do not intend to space out on us in the middle of the upcoming mission." After that, she looked over at Jin's side, which finally calmed down after the fight had ended. A wave of Perci's head told her all she needed to know, slowly walking back to the entrance of the arena. "I believe we can call it a day here. Let us go back to the dorm. Come along, Jin." Jin happily ran to her partner, as if the whole fight never existed in her head before that.

Meanwhile, Perci walked over to Leila, putting a hand on her shoulder. "Oi, Nun."

Leila raised her head, expecting some snarky remark, or a joke celebrating her loss. "What is it?"

Perci waved her head, chuckling to herself, walking towards the dorms before stopping once. "You just keep bein' you, aight? It ain't nice to see you doubt yourself like that."


	26. Operation Port

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yo, time for the next chapter! The first mission of team JPLL is here, and I can't fuckin' wait to write it out!
> 
> Also, on a small note, tomorrow's chapter is gonna be delayed again. I'm gonna be in a guard shift tomorrow in the base I serve in, so I won't have proper internet connection to upload the chapter with. Regardless, I'll put it up as soon as I can.
> 
> Anyway, hope you enjoy! Please don't forget to review/follow/favorite, and I'll see you all next time!

For a change, in team JPLL's dorm, Perci got up first. Usually the biggest slacker besides Jin, by the time Leila and Hue woke up, Perci was already in the bathroom, brushing her teeth, her school uniform thrown on her bed ready to be worn in a moment's notice. It was finally the day of their very first mission as a team, and for some indiscernible reason, Perci seemed just a _tad_ too eager to be up and running.

Leila stared at the rushing Perci, blinking in confusion as she was still waking up from a full eight-hour sleep. Shaking her head lightly, and forcing herself to snap back to the real world, remains of dreams forgotten right away, she couldn't help but question the validity of the person in the showers, or whether it was a Grimm wearing Perci's skin. "Uhh... Perci?" Her voice spilled out without thinking much, wondering for the nature of her behavior.

Perci took a peak out of the showers, looking at the rest of them annoyed to a degree. "Well, are you girls gonna stay in beds all fucking day or are we gonna go get a mission rollin'! C'mon, we better be there first so we can get first dibs on the mission we want to go to." She then stepped back inside, finished with brushing her teeth, and running back out fully in the nude, taking her uniform and underwear, hastily putting them on. "And can someone _please_ wake up the Brute! I ain't gonna be late because she's a lazy fuck!"

"Perci..." Leila struggled to her feet, walking slowly to the showers. "Well..."

"There's an assembly first. We all get to choose our missions at the same time, regardless of when we woke up." Hue finished her sentence, explaining the memo they all got that Perci clearly didn't read all the way through. "Didn't you read the mail we got entirely?"

Perci froze in place, her uniform still covering her head entirely, slowly letting it slide down, as the excited face she put on before turned into an angered frown. "...Shit." She shook her head, though shrugged it off regardless. "Well, whatever I guess, we should still be there on time, right?" As she spoke, she tapped Jin on the shoulder. "Oi, Brute! Get up!"

Jin slowly opening her eyes, stretching in bed regardless, Leila spoke from within the shower, still in the middle of rinsing herself. "Though I do wonder why you care about it so much. Yes, it is quite exhilarating to be able to go on an actual mission. It is a testament to our growth, in a way. But regardless..." Her voice, though muffled to a degree by the water, still held a certain amount of distrust. "It still wouldn't explain you being so passionate about it."

Noting Perci's grin and light cackles, Hue shook her head, taking off her pajamas. "You better not be planning something, Perci. I know that laugh."

"Who, ME?" Perci acted offended, gasping in an over the top manner and putting a hand to her chest as if swearing she did no wrong. "I would NEVER!"

Without even looking at each other, both Leila and Hue held the same pause. "Yyyup. Totally planning something." They spoke at the same time, making Perci roll her eyes.

"Well, whatever." She let it slide, finally ending her earlier than usual morning routine, fully dressed in her school uniform, as well having her cane on her, tapping it on the floor. "Alright gals, let's go! If I'm getting up this early, might as well get the morning routine over with! To breakfast!" She called out while raising her finger, and dashed out, disregarding the rest of her team.

Leila finally stepped out of the shower, carefully putting on her school uniform. Hue and her exchanged quick glances, unsure of what got Perci so riled out about the missions, though notwithstanding, they wordlessly agreed to keep an eye out, just in case.

After helping Jin put on her tattered, stitched up uniform, the three of them headed out to the cafeteria, only to see Perci already there, a plate mounted with food before her, chewing some of it away without abandon. Each of them taking some food and slowly approaching them, Leila couldn't help but clear her throat, notifying Perci of their presence. She finished whatever she had in her mouth, swallowing what looked like an almost full pancake, nearly choking herself. "Well, where the hell were YOU guys?! Turns out if you get here first you get the freshest shit. I think I might just turn this into a habit." Smirking to herself, Perci resumed her monster-like eating, running through the rest of her plate with ease.

Cringing a bit at the hell that would be Perci waking all of them up every morning, Leila nonetheless focused on her meal as well, giving a light prayer and beginning to eat. Luckily for her, the sun didn't come out _just_ yet, giving her some time to have a decent meal before going for her morning prayer.

Too busy with her meal, she couldn't help but notice the masked figure that passed by them, stopping by her side, and tapping her on the shoulder lightly. "Good morning, Leila."

Recognizing Elaine's voice, Leila jumped in place, a hiccup ensuing in her wake, looking back at her childhood friend for a split second, before glancing away, in a combination of shame and disgust. "Good morning, Elaine." She then thought about it some more, deciding she might as well ask her about the matter, turning her head over one more time. "I'm... Gonna go to my morning prayer after the meal is over. If you'd want, I wouldn't mind you joining me." She didn't know how Elaine would react to the offer, but regardless, she felt obligated to offer it.

Elaine grinned gently, nodding once. "Well, for old time's sake, I suppose it wouldn't hurt. I will see you later then." She nodded, walking off, and being greeted by the rest of her team, eating with them the light meal she picked for herself.

As the small encounter came to a close, Perci gave her one last look. "...So what, you two are BFF's again now? I thought she turned her back on you or some shit." Sneering at Leila for the two-faced nature of her behavior, she took another bite of her food, not realizing she bit her tongue forcefully, yelping in pain and holding her cheek.

Leila looked around, avoiding any direct eyesight, feeling slightly uncomfortable with the whole situation altogether. "W-Well... She's still a friend. She's still someone I grew up with. And if the Lord decided to put her through such a trial..." She took a deep, long breath, sighing slowly and letting the air naturally leave her lungs. "...Then I'd stand by it. The least I can do is try and remain her friend."

Hearing her resolve, and waiting for the pain to pass, Perci rolled her eyes, keeping a stern look in Elaine's direction. At that point, Leila was predictable. Leila was someone she could beat, if she needed. But the Haven Reaper was an enigma to Perci. A person she couldn't quite well read yet.

And Perci didn't like enigmas.

"Well, whatever." Masking her disdain to the unpredictable person seated a few tables away, she brushed her tongue against her teeth, making sure the pain was numb enough to continue eating. "You do you, Nun. I'll just be busy getting ready for our mission..."

* * *

As the breakfast concluded, Leila stepped outside, taking in the fresh air of the pre-sunrise breeze. It was still cool outside, though not enough to warrant warm clothing or anything of the sort, and the gentle wind brushed against her skin, making it shiver lightly. A natural smile forming on her face, Leila walked to the courtyard, where the sunrise would hit her directly as she prayed, bathing her in the Lord's light while she prayed. Getting close enough, she saw Elaine, keeping her word, already waiting for her, while sitting on one of the benches nearby.

Seeing her childhood friend grow closer, Elaine stepped up, walking towards the nun, giving her a bow, just like she used to do when she was a kid. "Good morning, sister." She added with a light chuckle, looking yonder towards the approaching sun. "I figured at this point you would have already been promoted from an acolyte, right?"

Looking at the rising sun with her, Leila nodded absent-mindedly, her mind in deep thought. "Hmm? Oh... Yes." She finally remembered to answer her question. "I was promoted to sisterhood about five years ago, though now I hold the title of Angel Ascendant in the church."

"Angel Ascendant?" Elaine pouted in curiosity, raising a hairless eyebrow underneath her mask. "I don't recall anyone holding that titl-"

"We'll talk in a bit, it's time." Leila fell to her knees, Elaine following her lead, both crossing their arms and beginning their prayer. As the sun shone up, the rays of light hitting Leila gradually, she couldn't help but feel a sense of ease and comfort, as if the Lord himself was watching her from above, guiding her every step. She dared not to open her eyes, nor to turn her head towards Elaine, slowly finishing her prayer, and then getting up.

As she did, Elaine did the same, remembering the practice quite well. Despite having her eyes hidden away, she closed them, though unlike Leila, didn't really pray to any god, simply going through the motions and reminding herself that no god would bring her friends serenity, if not for herself. "Anyway..." She finally spoke after the prayer was fully done with, and both herself and Leila resumed their earlier talk. "I don't recall this title within the church when we were there."

Leila closed her eyes for a brief moment, pondering her words. "Well, it would be the title before the one my mother currently holds. I am poised to replace her as the guardian of the village, when her time to retire comes." Giving a brief explanation, she hoped it would be enough to sate Elaine's curiosity on the matter, as this was information she was not fully allowed to disclose to others.

Elaine nodded in understanding, seeing through her expression easily enough. "Alright, I suppose. And I don't imagine you fully chose this path, correct?" She couldn't help herself, asking the question that was burning on her mind up until that very moment.

Leila shook her head slowly. "No, though it does not matter to _me._ It is the path the Lord chose for me, to be an angel, a guardian, a symbol for the people to look after in admiration, and I will cherish that role and be a paragon for it when my time comes." Her conviction was absolute, leaving no cracks for self-doubt to sneak through. She couldn't let herself fall into this pit of uncertainty again, after all.

Elaine looked at her with hints of disbelief, somehow worried for her. "But have you ever considered what _you_ want to do, Leila? Are you _certain_ this is the path that fits you most? I'd hate to see you become something that, at the end of the day, you'd regret being."

"...It is fine, Elaine." Leila responded with a weary breath. "This is my fate. My destiny. And I am at peace with it."

Seeing that there was no more point in arguing with her about the matter, Elaine reluctantly gave up the attempt to change her mind, instead picking up her scroll and checking the time. "We should go, the morning assembly and mission selection would begin soon." She pointed towards the main building, walking towards it slowly.

"But aren't you a fourth year?" Leila couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. "I thought today's mission was exclusive to first years."

"You'd be right in essence, but any student team above that can choose a mission for some extra credit, you know." Elaine grinned, picking up her weapon from the bench nearby and wrapping it around her arm again. "Besides, I would never give up a chance to test my skills in combat."

Watching the scythe, the weapon of experts and masters, so casually bent itself to her whims, Leila's head fell a little, picking up the folded in Caliborn, putting it tightly around her back again. "I suppose you'd be right..." She mumbled, walking towards Beacon itself, where the first years gathered for their first real mission.

Meeting up with the rest of her team, Leila stood patiently, hearing Ozpin give his speech, about the great war, the burnings of arts and self-expression, and the people who rose against it, trying to preserve their free speech in the names of everyone to follow. However, despite all that, she couldn't help but notice how energetic Perci was, especially for her usual self. It was like she was preparing to jump at any moment, as if a race as afoot, despite the mission boards having plenty to choose from.

As Ozpin dismissed the students, the first years coming to the board to choose their first missions, Leila called over the rest of her team, to discuss what kind of mission they should take. "Alright, since we are still first years, I suggest that we pick a mission that could still fit our level of experience, though should provide a challenge nonetheless."

Hue nodded in agreement. "On top of it, we should probably aim for a mission that transpires around the industrial district. It could provide us with further data related to the cultist investigation, on top of the experience."

"Very well." Leila turned to Jin, who stared at the two with a large grin. "Jin, what do you think?" While it was hard for her to imagine Jin giving an appropriate response, she was the team leader nonetheless, and it would have been rude not to include her in the decision-making process.

Jin looked at her, staring directly into her silver eyes, her grin intensifying. "I wanna have lots of fun!" She exclaimed, hopping in place a bit.

Leila couldn't help but sigh, getting the exact type of response she bargained for. "Alright, then before we go and pick a mission, do you have any suggestions, Per-" As she raised her head to look for her partner, it dawned on her that the conversion thus far had a surprising lack of snark and sarcasm sewn into it. "Perci?..." She looked around, Hue joining her search, both of them attempting to locate the last member of team JPLL, who seemingly vanished off the face of the planet. "Jin, can you help us look for Perci?" Getting an idea, she tapped Jin's shoulder, asking her for her assistance.

Jin quickly stood up, surpassing most if not all the students present with her impressive height, looking around, until Perci's rather massive aura was directly in her sights, a few meters away. "Over there!" She called out overly excited to help, pointing at her with a dust covered finger, the trio walking towards the missing member, Leila and Hue already looking at each other with worry as to what Perci was doing there in the first place.

Finally finding her fiddling with the mission board, Leila coughed loudly, making Perci stiffen in place. She turned around slowly, giving her teammates a big, fake grin, hiding the screen behind her back. "Hey guys! What's up?!" Her tone was overly cheerful, and it didn't take a genius to figure out she was hiding something.

Cutting straight to the chase, Hue approached her, delivering Perci a cold, emotionless glare. "What did you do?" She questioned spoke in one short breath, questioning Perci's behavior right away, and showing no hints of sympathy. At that point, the last thing she needed was Perci pulling their legs and doing something fooling on her own.

"Well..." Perci moved aside, showing them the team's name on the board, already accepted and filled out.

"Excellent!" A robust, bombastic voice from came at them from a few steps away, as Peter Port walked towards the team, giving Perci a high five, which she eagerly returned. "I'm glad to see _some_ students have any appreciation for the fine art of Grimm hunting! Well Perci, team JPLL, I'll see you all in about two hours, sharp!" He started to walk away, whistling to himself happily, stopping after a few steps. "Oh! And be sure to pack extra rations in your bags!" A light chuckle escaped his mustache. "The Emerald Forest doesn't have a lot of edible berries in it, you know."

And with that, he was gone, the great and mighty teacher of Grimm studies in Beacon walking off to prepare his own equipment, leaving a rather angered Leila in his wake. "Port." She turned to Perci, shaking her head in disappointment. "You picked us up for a mission with Port of all people..." She couldn't believe Perci's selfish actions, weary of her chicanery.

"Oh come on, it'll be fun!" Perci tried to cheer them up, as at this point it was quite impossible to refuse Port directly. "We get to kill Grimm... Watch Port be a BADASS... And hell, maybe he'll even feature us in one of his stories!" She exclaimed, smirking victoriously.

Hue, however, wasn't amused in the least, going to check the mission board to see what the mission was _actually_ about. "Hmm..." She pondered, reading through the description. "It would seem some local criminals have taken to hide in the Emerald Forest. It is now our duty to capture them unharmed, and bring them back to Vale to face court." After fully reading and memorizing the brief detailing presented to the students on the holographic board, she turned her attention to Leila. "It would satisfy your criteria for a proper mission, Leila. I believe it would be advisable to go nonetheless."

Hearing Hue approve, Leila yielded as well, nodding once. "Very well, I suppose. Then let us go back to our dorms to pack more rations. I believe that it was a necessity."

"Ah man, this is gonna be so sweet..." Perci could barely contain herself, actively tapping on the ground with her feet with each step she made.

Hue suppressed a chuckle, shaking her head slowly. "You... ARE aware that most of his stories are over exaggerations of real events, at best, right?" At that point she couldn't tell if Perci was willingly deluding herself, or if she was just that ignorant to the reality of the situation.

Perci rolled her eyes in response, crossing her arms. "Oh, just let a girl dream, would you? Party pooper..." She stepped forward, wanting to get away from the rest, for the time being, thinking about the upcoming mission they would head out towards.

* * *

Soon enough, the time was up for preparations, and the four members of team JPLL each stood over the airship bay, looking over at the small bullhead that would deliver them to their destination. Port was already on board, checking the final details for the mission, giving them team just a few more minutes to get ready and say goodbye to whoever it would be that they wanted before leaving altogether.

"So, that's it, eh?" They heard Ash's voice sneak up on them, turning around to see her walk towards them with the rest of her team, not having any bags on them for some reason. Unlike her mood when investigating, Ash was rather calm at the moment, a relaxed grin spread between her lightly curling lips, taking her sweet time with each step she made. "You gals leavin' us for the high n' mighty life of huntresses while we get stuck with the boring stuff?" Chuckling at her teasing, she seemed content with the mission they got so far, regardless.

Meeting her with a bow, Leila came to address her inquiry. "Well, Ash... We did not have much of a choice in the matter. Isn't that right, _Perci?_ " She gazed at the delinquent sternly, glaring knives in her direction, clearly not being entirely happy about her taking matters into her own hands still.

Perci, however, merely shrugged, slumping in place and shifting her weight around from shoulder to shoulder. "Well, what can ya say? Ya snooze ya lose, Nun. 'Sides, ain't no chance in hell I'm gonna lose a chance to see Port in action." Melody giggled at the stunt she pulled, only adding to Perci's confidence, her chest puffing on its own with pride.

"Well, I guess as long as you're happy with what you got..." Ash mumbled, looking at her scroll to check the time, just in case.

"And if you don't mind me asking..." Leila cut in, feeling it was only polite to show interest. "What was the mission you and your team chose?"

"Something BORING!" Undine interjected before Ash could even respond. "Hope ya have fun fightin' Grimm in the forest while we're stuck blasting through Professor Peach's shopping list... Melody." She turned her head to Melody's direction, showing some amount of disdain in her azure eyes.

To her defense, Melody pouted, crossing her arms defensively, and backing up just a bit. "I-It couldn't be helped, alright? I-I just didn't want to fight Grimm right away... They still scare me, alright?" She retorted, puffing her cheeks and turning around, presenting her back to the rest of them.

Leaving their antics aside, Ash finally opened her mouth, shedding some light on the matter. "Melody didn't want anything _too_ intense yet, so we ended up shadowing Professor Peach for the week or something. Hopefully, she won't do anything too crazy, so I don't expect any major issues. Hell, who knows, we might even have enough personal freedom to continue our investigation on our own." She added, nodding contently to herself, trying to see the positive side on the matter. At the end of the day, however, they were just gonna serve as lab rats for her experiments, trying to concoct new types of usable dust, making team ACMM go and fetch her more from local stores each time she would run out.

"Well... Just be safe, alright Love? Wouldn't want to see that perfect face get spoiled like mine..." Perci muttered, running a single finger across the scar that now permanently stained her previously passable face. A single frame of the Eldritchan Grimm flashed through her mind. "Though you have to wonder... How the fuck did a Grimm get so fucked up, right? Like, how come we don't see those walk around all the time?"

This time, Hue chimed in, opening her notebook and turning the pages, looking for something specific. "I have a few hypotheses, though there's not enough evidence to support any of them. Suffice to say, however, is that the process involves said Grimm consuming another Grimm to achieve this. What are the implications of such a bizarre ritual, or the origin behind it, I cannot tell." She concluded, closing up the small tome, and sliding it back into her bag, within a pocket that fit it perfectly. "Regardless, it shouldn't matter in the grand scheme of things. We should prioritize capturing the cultist that brought it to being, though if we could find the cause behind it, it would also be preferable." She then turned to Ash, her stare as expressionless as ever. "Keep your eyes out. It's enough that that we have that Roman Torchwick stealing from every dust store that exists out there, we also have our own case on our hands. Better stick out from anything that isn't absolutely needed."

"Oi, no dissin' the Roman," Perci spoke up, looking slightly displeased. "He's a great thief, you know. Got mad respect for the man."

"Count me unsurprised..." Leila muttered under her teeth, looking to the bullhead as Port's head popped out, calling them over.

"Girls, everything is ready! Let's sail out, on the grand wind of adventure!" He put on an almost medieval-like voice, trying to act like a gallant knight, stepping inside and turning on the ignition. Perci didn't spend a lot of time hanging around, only giving Melody a peck on the cheeks, and trailing off, anticipating the mission to come considerably.

Before the rest of them could leave, Ash raised a closed hand, bumping Leila's shoulder lightly. "You guys be careful out there too, alright?" She said, rallying the rest of her team, and walking off to their own 'mission'.

"Will do..." Leila uttered, as Hue, Jin and herself followed Perci to the bullhead.


	27. Into The Forest

Flying above the Emerald Forest in a bullhead wasn't the same as flying above it without one. So far, the group could see the lush plant life, vibrant greens, and overall pleasant scenery without having the necessity of landing on their own without dying in the middle.

Jin, for the most part, was stuck with her face against the window, having never seen such a view for herself before from this close. "Ooooh…" She continually gasped in admiration for the beauty Remnant could give, seeing things in a way hidden for any other to behold. As for the rest of the group, Perci was sitting in the corner of the carrier hull, eating some chips, looking around periodically at Hue, busy as ever sketching things and reading her own thoughts from days prior. On the other end, Leila, who for the most part knelt at the other end of the hull, eyes closed and hands brought together, silently giving a prayer for the success of their first mission ever.

"I hope the four of you are prepared for some serious excitement!" Port called from the other end of the bullhead, piloting it himself. "Once we land, we have quite the few days ahead of us!" His voice was filled with enthusiasm, as the various faux-grimm, trashed around the bullhead would have shown.

Perci nodded nonetheless, giving him a thumbs up. "Ya got THAT right, chief! Wooo!" Filled with enthusiasm, she couldn't wait to see her favorite teacher in action, blasting and hacking his way through hordes of Grimm, all the way to another epic tale to tell his students in class.

Leila, however, didn't find herself overly fond of their almost in sync behavior, huffing lightly once her prayer was done. "Regardless… It is just a simple mission for people in our experience group. I highly doubt anything overly out of the ordinary would occur, Perci." Despite having some level of tolerance to Perci and her antics, it was still something that Leila could never truly get accustomed to, if not at the very least tolerate to some degree. Is it really such a necessity to make such a ruckus out of killing Grimm?" It was an enigma, to be sure. Whenever she was faced with the dispatching of the Grimm, Leila never faltered, but never thought anything special out of it. It was, after all, by the education she was given as an Ascendant. She is to protect the people. Nothing more, nothing less.

"Alright… Let me pitch it to ya this way, Nun." Perci gave her a lightly condescending look, rolling her eyes ever so slightly. "See, some people _don't_ have giant fucking rulers up their asses, and actually want to try and have some _fun_ with what they do. So… Ya know, might as well let that adrenaline rush come and just roll with it. Woo!" She gave a short battle cry once more, raising a hand in the air. Port actually joined her on that one, laughing uproariously, full of energy and life. "See? What'd I tell ya." Perci smirked again, leaning back and rubbing her stomach lightly after the meal she just finished. "Find the fun in things, no matter _how_ violent they are!"

Nevertheless, the nun kept her zealous guise, trying to maintain some level of professionalism between the overly childish teacher and her partner. "You can do as you please. I will focus on actually finishing the mission. Remember, Perci, that our goal isn't to just kill Grimm and pose for some invisible camera."

"Indeed." Hue chimed in, always having something to add to the argument. "The mission is the capture of a runaway group of thugs, and their deliverance to the proper authorities. Remember, Perci, that _you_ were the one who chose this mission, and regardless of who is leading it, it still needs to be done."

"And it shall!" Port called again, looking down and searching for a proper landing spot for the bullhead. He tilted the airborne vehicle slightly, without realizing it, and in the hull, the entirety of team JPLL suddenly found themselves being pulled towards one of the walls. Jin quickly lost grasp of the window, and if not for Leila's quick thinking, moving between Jin and the wall, she would have easily torn the thin metal apart, sending all of them downwards. Port quickly fixed his angle when he heard the grunt the nun made, letting Leila gently move Jin out of the way, and inhaling a breath of fresh air, without a massive cluster of hairs to get in her way. "Oops! Sorry girls, my bad!" Port called out again, moving forward, circling around the particular area in which the search was to happen.

"Don't mention it chief…" Perci grunted lightly, picking herself up from the floor, and stood up to her feet, brushing off the dust from her suit. "Bleh… I think I'm a bit sick…" She couldn't help but mutter off hand, looking around at the remainder of her team.

"You don't say…" Leila looked at her dazed and confused.

It didn't take Perci more than a second to realize what she just said, raising an eyebrow and giving Leila a teasing smirk. "My oh my… Could it be that the pure, gentle nun just spoke to me with sarcasm? Who knew you _were_ capable of such vulgar tongue…" Snickers followed every word that she uttered, clearly enjoying this small chance to tease.

Leila rolled her eyes, clearly not in the mood for such japery. "I apologize. It won't repeat itself." It was rehearsed for her, to speak in such a way. Regardless, the smell from inside this person bullhead wasn't doing well her psyche, and the one thing she most wanted at the moment was to get out of there as soon as was humanly possibly.

"Alright, I think I found us a good spot to descend it! Land ho!" Port's call finally brought a shred of hope for the near suffocating nun, and at that point she couldn't even regard his tone or mannerisms. Slowly, the bullhead got down, the trees growing closer and closer, until they were in midst of the thicket, having a clear patch of grass to land in.

As soon as the doors opened up, Leila ran outside, thanking the Lord audibly for letting her pass this trial of foul breath with success, almost kissing the ground with relief. Perci chuckled, walking slowly after her, and Jin ran out shortly after, looking around happily, dropping to the grass and rolling in it for a bit. At last, Hue walked out, carrying her bag, reminding the others that they should probably get theirs.

Port stepped out, carrying his axe with him, leaning on his burly shoulders. He surveyed the area quietly before his attention returned to the four that were with him. "Alright, now, while I know that you were all excited to be able to see such a living legend up close and personal in combat, I should inform you that we won't be fighting Grimm across the clock." He paused for a bit, only to see the disappointment on Perci's face. "I'm sorry Perci, but this is just how things are. Sometimes, some missions also involve some stealth to them. Luckily for us, I am a trained huntsman, so we won't be needing any of that boring bees-nasty anyway!" He raised his thumb up and pointed towards the deeper side of the forest. "Now, onward, students! The supposed thugs were reportedly hiding further in… That direction!" He then paused again, looking at his finger, and turned around, pointing to another spot. "No, wait! Now I have it. This direction!"

He started to walk, before stopping one more time, still doubting himself. Pulling his scroll out, he tinkered with it for a bit, as a map of the surrounding area, including their exact location and where they should go, was revealed to him. He then promptly did another one-eighty, walking back in the original direction he was headed in. "Alright, now it's for certain. This way, come along!" Despite the miscalculations, Port seemed as adamant as ever in keeping his cheerful mood alive, pacing happily through to the inner sanctums of the forest.

Perci, taking charge in a bizarre turn of events, pointed after Port, trying to keep up with him. "Well, you heard the man! Move it, bitches! Woo!" A slightly crazed grin appeared on her face, clearly enjoying herself, and dragging the rest of her team with her, the four of them marched on. "So, Port…" Perci finally walked up to him, looking around for any possible clues. "Any idea on what we're dealin' with? Gonna be some grimm, right?"

"You bet on it!" He looked at her back, his mustache curling with his lips to the smile only a veteran adventurer would show. "Can't have a mission without some closer encounter of the Grimm kind! And speaking of…" He paused, looking onwards for a bit, and drawing his weapon. "I believe we're about to get some…"

Suddenly, the flight of a razor sharp feather, roughly the size of a quill, pierced the air, nearly hitting Port before he shot it down, a trail of fire in his wake. After that, the screech of a nevermore heralded the coming of a real fight, and Port stepped back, eager to see what his students were capable of. "Alright girls, the stage is all yours! Make me proud!"

"You got it!" Perci smashed a fist against an open palm, grinning even wider as the nevermore came into view. As it flew directly at them, coming to send another volley of feathers at the group, she lunged forward, giving it a well-aimed swing with her cane, hitting the top of its beak with the very end of it, and sending it down, rending it asunder. Jin followed up, running up to the Grimm on all fours, and as the dust in her body reacted to her primal will, lightly started to surge through her fingertips, hacking through it with overwhelming strength and killing it right there and then.

"Excellent work girls, but I believe we're not quite done yet!" Port's voice directed them onwards, where a Deathstalker, roughly the size of the now decaying nevermore, charged through, aiming its stinger at Jin. Now, it was Hue's turn to act, calling upon her semblance, as the searing light she commanded wrapped itself around the thinnest part of the tail, constricting it from moving downwards. As the Grimm struggled against her hold, Leila ran forward, taking a leap, and falling on top of its head, driving the full size of her blade right through its bone mask, shattering it with ease. The Grimm didn't go down just yet, screeching and sending a claw at the nun, catching her off guard, but thankfully for her Hue intervened, sending an explosive arrow at the incoming pincer, as the resulting explosion staggered the beast, sending it back.

Leila dashed forward, her voice rising into a shout, as she swung her blade one last time, finally felling the Deathstalker. It collapsed, falling to the floor lifeless and motionless, and soon enough, its body began to decay, black mist surrounding the ichor that poured out of it.

As they kept advancing through the forest, Grimm came, and came in spades. Of course, being the huntresses in training that they were, none of them were caught off guard, powering through the incoming hordes and packs of beowolves and ursai, each in her own unique way.

* * *

By the time the sun hit her very peak in the skies, they had made decent progress in their mission. Hue's sharp wits finding them some clues for human movement, Port and team JPLL were making steady headway towards the supposed hideout, and the completion of their very first mission.

As Jin finished hacking through another beowolf, her new fiery breath aiding her struggles quite well, she was approached by Peter, who for the most part merely observed their team from afar.

"Why hello there, Jin! Good job!" He praised her for her hard work, and Jin smiled at him happily, her grin opening wide to reveal teeth laced with Dust.

"Thanks!" Her response, as it always was, came off childish and simplistic. It was always nice to hear a word of praise from another, and the aura before her seemed lively enough about it, catching her in his enthusiasm.

"So Jin! A question, if you would." Port stepped a bit closer to her, trying to get her full attention, or at least, what he could of it. He was, of course, pre-informed about Jin and her tendencies, but regardless, he had a question to ask. "Why did you decide to join Ozpin? After all, you weren't an official student. You could have just as well said no and left."

Jin frowned just a teeny, tiny bit, trying to come up with a proper response. "Uhh… He was nice! And being nice is nice! So I said yes!" She cheered, dashing in to give Port a cheerful hug, and unfortunately for the old huntsman, his speed wasn't enough to evade the deadly grip of her embrace. "And you're nice too!" She hugged him tightly, shaking Port around a bit in the air, before finally dropping him on the ground.

* * *

"And what about you, Perci? You seem adamant enough on your path. Why choose to come to Beacon?" He asked Perci, while she was busy taking her own little break from the madness of the mission.

Perci turned to him, raising a single eyebrow. "I mean… It was either that or staying in prison, you know? Kiiiinda better than that, if you ask me." She explained briefly, sighing and pulling out one of her cigars. She stared at it, realizing it's been ages since she last popped one of them, but for the sake of being civil, she brought a second, offering it to Port. "Want one? I got them from like Atlas; it's the really superb shit." She then pulled the lighter he gave her when she first arrived, realizing that she never returned it. "Ah shit, I totally forgot about the lighter…"

"No no, it's fine." Port shrugged off taking the cigar from her hands. "And, well, I suppose you don't get to smoke such vintage every day…" He chuckled lightly, putting the cigar in his mouth, both of them taking a puff. "But I do wonder, when you left with the rest of your team. Why stay with them? Surely you could have just escaped on your own before anyone would have found you."

"Well, Chief…" Perci grinned, taking another puff of her cigar, looking at nothing in particular. "I guess it wasn't so bad after all, being here in Beacon. I mean, I still want to get out of here as soon as I fucking can, but for what it's worth, it ain't THAT bad, if it makes any sense…"

* * *

Hue, having dispatched another small pack on her own, took a small breather, cleaning her blade from the ichor that amassed on it throughout the day. As she did, Port approached her, wobbling a bit with each step, the cigar in his mouth still, puffing on it every so often. "Hello, Port." This time, Hue was the first to beckon him, noting there was only one person he could have gotten said cigar from. "Perci gave you that, did she not?"

"Oh, there's no need to worry about it." Port laughed lightly, finishing the cigar and throwing it away. "So! Hue Luminos… If you don't mind me asking…"

"You're going to ask why did I come to Beacon, correct? I've noticed you talking to the others. I assume Leila would be last, as per the team order." She swiftly took the pleasure of asking from his hands, dictating the exact process of his actions.

"I, well… Yes! Of course, that's what I'm here to ask!" He didn't falter, keeping on his bombastic act, coming to ask her regardless. "Your grades are at the top, and you seem capable on the battlefield. But every night you're moon gazing. So why come here?"

Hue sighed, taking one last glance to make sure no grimm were coming at them, and then turned to the elder teacher. "Life in Vacuo isn't for me. Chaos reigns, the law is helpless, and regardless of that, my siblings could be quite intolerable." He spoke without too much emotion in her voice, seemingly not caring much for the state of her home kingdom. "My parents told me the only way they'll let me move outside is if I wanted to become a huntress. So, I passed the exams, and here I am."

"I see... Though don't you think that it would have been a waste of time to come off a Huntsman academy if what you're after isn't here?" He kept his questioning, as Hue turned to him fully.

"I will do anything I need to continue my research. And right now, it's staying in Beacon."

* * *

Lastly, came Leila, just finishing another prayer to her Lord for the killing she is forced to commit against the Grimm. While not being a sin per se, she regardless felt the need to pray for the safe continuation of the mission, not noticing Port walking towards her, after finally questioning the rest of her team. "Ah, Leila! The nun from Mistral!" He called out to her, and gave him her usual bow, as a polite gesture.

"Yes, professor Port? What can I help you with?" Her voice was soothing and calm as ever, gazing at him with an absolute calm in her eyes, one that she held after a much-needed prayer.

"Well, Leila… I wanted to ask you a single question." He made his approach, glancing at her from behind his massive eyebrows. "Why did you come to Beacon?"

"Very simple, professor." She explained, keeping her politeness. "The church from where I come saw fit to send me to a huntsman academy, to make sure I possess the skills I need to serve the people of our village as a proper guardian. And, since Mistral is known for it's… Lawless tendencies, Atlas if far too close minded, and Vacuo is just as worse as Mistral, it was chosen that I would go to Beacon."

Port paused for a bit, thinking. "And then… Was this fully your choice? Did _you_ want all of this?"

Shaking her head, Leila regardless picked up her sword. "No, and it does not bother me. The Lord has chosen me for this fate, and I will welcome it."

* * *

After a long, tedious day of fighting and pushing onwards, the five of them finally camped out for the night, sitting together before the campfire. So far, the dinner they shared was already done, and Port was in the middle of one of his tall tales, Perci listening in with glee while the others quickly fell asleep.

"So hold on, chief," Perci asked after he finally finished his story, this time not being constricted by a lesson to make him stop. "So you asked all of us this questions, right? Why though?"

"Ah, well that's a great question Perci." Port, for a change, lowered his voice, as a courtesy for those who were already sleeping. "It is required of us teachers to ask that on a student's first mission. Ozpin personally reads all of them." By now, despite being teacher and student, Perci and Port seemed to have acquired some form of a warrior's bond, two people who share a similar passion for a moment of badassery. "Though, now that I think about it… None of you really came here to be huntresses in particular." He mused over the notion, chuckling lightly. "What a team…"

"Yyyup. Team JPLL, at your service." Perci chuckled as well, finally climbing into her sleeping bag. "Anywho, night Chief, see ya tomorrow."

"Sleep tight, Perci." He bid her farewell, watching over the camp, while planning the day that would come after….

* * *

The day after, after a rather hasty wake-up call and breakfast, the five of them marched on, continuing their search. Soon enough, they reached a small cave, hidden behind a quick layer of brush, where muffled and hushed chants could be heard from deep within. Port, being the first to react, raised his hand, signaling all of them to stop in their tracks, as they pressed themselves around the side of the entrance, hiding behind the wall. A chilly breeze swept from the inside, cold air seeping out at a steady pace, though at the moment none of them cared for it much.

Making sure they were still undetected, Port pointed at Jin. "Jin, how are there in there. Please count them." Unlike his usual cocky tone, when it came to the actual mission at hand, Port turned serious to a degree, keeping a stern expression on his face, like any professional huntsman would.

Jin peered from behind the wall, taking a few minutes to count the auras inside, however, from the expression she wore after just looking at them, worry and concern spreading across her face, it was clear that something was wrong. "T-They don't look well… T-They're hurt…" She mumbled, forgetting about the numbers and focusing more on that fact.

"I see…" Port pondered, deciding that it was better to try and secure the parameter without combat if they could. "Alright, here's what we're gonna do: Perci, Jin, you take the front line with me. Hue and Leila, go around them, and provide backup if needed. I'll try and reason with them, but if worse comes to worst, we might have to fight." He concluded the briefing, as Perci, Leila and Hue nodded in understanding, Jin still staring into the cave with worry in her eyes.

"B-But Mama told me fighting was bad…" She repeated the same excuse she always did, being very reluctant to even step inside the cave. For some reason, whatever she saw in there was enough to actively make her shiver with fear.

Trying to reassure her, Port ruffled her hair, Jin slowly cheering up. "Don't worry, if we can, no one will get hurt. Tell you what…" He thought for a second, trying to find a proper incentive for the giantess to motivate her to join them. "If you come with us… I'll buy you ice cream. How about it?" He asked, and Jin nodded once, still looking a tad unsure. Focusing on the serenity and bravery his aura showed her, Jin managed to push through, all of them walking inside just as Port instructed.

The more they walked inside, the darker it got, making it nigh impossible to see. Thinking on her feet, Hue conjured a few small spheres of light, sending them over to each group, being herself, Leila on the other wall, and Port. He gave her a thumbs up for her clever use of her semblance, and with her light guiding the way, they kept going.

No one said a word so far. There was little to anything to say anymore, and they more they got closer to the people inside, the more distressed Jin got, making the rest of them nervous. At some point, even Port seemed to be affected to a degree, growing a rad _too_ quiet, even for someone like him. However, as they group saw a faint light a few feet away from them, realizing they reached their targets, Port resumed his brave guise, nodding to Hue who made her light vanish.

The scene that was revealed to them was unnerving, to say the least: A group of people in robes, hoods covering their faces, all standing around some keg with a familiar symbol on it, seemingly in the middle of a prayer. "Hey, you there!" Port, not being one for stealth or tact, simply stepped forth, disrupting their little ritual, while Perci, Leila, and Hue passed panicked glanced between each other, Jin being too busy staring at the auras of the people, sickly and weak, almost like a fire in its dying breath. There were more people on the floor, around the corners of the cave, passed out or sleeping, though which one of them it was didn't really matter at that point.

One of the men turned to Port. Under his hood, they saw almost gray skin, on his hands and on some of his face, seemingly very, very ill. He raised his finger, some of the others picking up crude looking weapons, from simple pipes to shivs, walking towards the huntsmen without saying a word. "Alright, that's enough." Port gave the nod, already distressed enough as it were, giving his team the go to act and take them out.

"Gladly," Perci smirked, walking towards one of them, and giving the man a hook straight to his stomach, just strong enough to knock him out. He coughed, and as the material landed his her hand, she realized it wasn't blood that he coughed. Her eyes widened in terror, and she stepped back, Port gasping in shock when she turned to him, the cultist behind her collapsing soon after.

And her hand, in its entirety, was covered in black, oozing ichor.


	28. The Horrors From Within

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright... Before we start with this, I have a small warning to give. This chapter is gonna be... Hard. I didn't go full out on the descriptions here, but regardless, I think it's only fair I warn in advance that some nasty shit is gonna go down. Regardless of that, I still had a ton of fun writing down this chapter, and I hope you all enjoy.

"W-What the fuck?..."

Perci has seen a lot of things in her relatively few days in the world. She saw people die. She saw people get killed. She saw people burn down houses, commit unspeakable actions, justifying them all under the banner of the one true god: The Lien.

But never, compared to every gut-wrenching act she saw _and_ did, has she never seen something this sick.

She automatically shook her hand as hard as she could, violently trying to get the foul ichor away from her, stepping back away from the collapsed cultist. Her head started spinning, and she felt herself gag, raising her other hand to her mouth to hold it all it as much as she could, as even her toughened experience in the world had never prepared her for something like THIS.

The horrid smell of ichor combined with vomit slowly filled the room, and if it weren't for the cave's walls to lean on, Leila would have already fallen to the floor unconscious, though a single glance told that she was on the edge of outright vomiting from sheer disgust.

Hue, while somehow keeping her outside guise manageable, was still screaming at the maddening scene from the inside. Her will to know things and understand slowly reeled away, replaced with a desire to outright run away and collapse the cave's entrance, trapping everyone inside it and then burn it all to the ground for good measure. However, as much as she wanted to do this, it was solely prevented by the lack of a direct command from Port, as well as Jin, who shook in place, seeming in complete shock.

Shaking her head, Perci dashed away, getting close to the teacher again, who at this point pulled his weapon out, tinkering with it out of pure stress. In all his years as a teacher in Beacon, Port was finally caught off guard, and his cockiness all but completely faded away, replaced with primal terror. Regardless, he pushed on, suppressing the voice in his head calling him to run away, and stood tall, against this new cultist threat. "...Knock them all out." He finally spoke up, raising his axe while he was at it. Whatever the situation was, Port was no longer messing around.

Leila could only stare at him, still unable to form a coherent sentence. Of course, it went without saying that whatever plans they had of investigating this on their own were gone straight out of the window, as there was no chance in hell they could play themselves out of this one. Still unsure of his intentions, as well as her own at the moment, Leila hesitated just long enough for one of the cultists to come running at her, ichor still spilling from her mouth here and there, aiming a rather rusty looking knife straight to Leila's abdomen.

However, before the knife was struck, a single shot was heard. Port stood entirely motionless, his right hand holding his axe, now revealing the rifle it contained, after toning down the firepower of his weapon to just under lethal. It hit the cultist head on, and she collapsed, having nearly no power to fight either way as if she was put out of her misery. "B-But..." Leila finally managed to speak, though the action cost her a lot of mental strength to achieve.

"We have to get them back to Vale. If they drank this... stuff." Port briefly explained, taking another shot and hitting dead on, with the skill of an expert marksman. "Then we have to do anything we can to heal them. Now help me. It will only end quicker if you do."

Finally getting an incentive to do something, Perci raised her cane, trying to stay as far away from them as she humanly could, knocking them out one by one with well-aimed swings to the head, having little to no regard to the actual condition they were brought in. Leila did the same, opting out of her usual arsenal of long range skills, and Hue, who had the luxury of wielding a bow, quickly shot icy arrows around, freezing people's legs to the floor and neutralizing them quite efficiently, making their capture all the quicker.

All that time, Jin just stood there, utterly silent, eyes widened and pupils narrowed, still finding it impossible to do anything to help. The fighting, while bothering her just as much, weren't enough. She almost felt the crystals covering her body starting to intensify in amount, as if wanting to fully crystallize her for the sake of self-protection. Regardless, all she could do was stare, as her friends knocked out the barely flickering auras, each more colored out than the last.

By the time they were done in the cave, Perci's head was spinning again from nausea. The entire place reeked of the stuff, and it didn't help that occasionally some of them kept on hurling, clearly in deep pain and suffering from the substance they willingly drank. Port left to bring some stretches from the bullhead, taking Jin with him and running as fast as they could, leaving the other trio to guard the unconscious and semi-frozen cultists on their own. "...Let's kill them." Perci finally managed to utter, somehow exceeding the fear of taking human life in her mind.

"W-What?!" Leila called out in shock. "Are you out of your mind?!" She waved her head frantically in rejection. She was already this close to snapping as she was, and the last thing she needed was to commit murder.

"Look at them!" Perci pointed at the corpse looking bodies, alive by the most technical level. "How much longer do you think they'll survive, huh?! Do you honestly think anyone of us can actually help them?!" Her breathing was out of order, quick paced and inconstant. "We can't help them, Leila! It doesn't matter what we'll do, they're gonna fucking die!" She kept insisting, looking away for a moment. "At the very least we can spare Jin the suffering of having to watch them snuff out."

The other two looked at one another, silent as ever. Hue shook her head, unwilling to do the deed, and Leila, still shaking visibly, slowly reached out for her cross pendant with shaking hands, holding to it as tightly as she possibly could. Her voice came out, praying for whatever she could think of, that her sanity wouldn't shatter from what she saw there. She wanted to help them, and use her semblance to mend their wounds and make them better.

But no amount of aura she might have had could ever erase such a pained existence from them.

"..Well?!" Getting no response from either of them, Perci pressed the issue one more time. Nevertheless, it seemed she didn't have the guts to do it herself, and it was clear that she wanted the approval of the other two to justify it for herself. "Are we gonna do it or wh-"

"SHUT UP!" Leila screamed at her, falling to her knees, holding the cross in her hands even tighter. "Just... Please. Perci. I can't. I just... Can't deal with this. I don't want to do this. Please, I'm begging you. Just this once. Please don't..." She kept going on and on, holding to her fleeting mind with ironclad grip, trying to make sure she wouldn't just slip away. Perci gazed at her, understanding her entirely, and nodded once for a change, stepped back. In truth, she didn't want to do this either. But the thought of Jin being forced to watch this... It terrified her just as much. Perci herself was well versed with killing, and while she never did it herself, she knew enough to get it done. She saw it countless times. Jin?... Didn't even understand the very concept of death. Perci quietly went to one of them, finding a clear patch of skin to touch them on, deciding to at least check their aura herself.

She then realized what a horrible mistake it was.

Just like draining Jin's aura, Perci's head was filled with whatever was on the cultist's thoughts. And, while their aura was weak enough and fragile on its own, barely sustaining itself, Perci still heard it.

The voices.

They spoke to her, on and on, relentless on her toughened mind until they finally passed, ending the nightmare after a few seconds. However, for the few instants that they plagued her, Perci heard far more than any sane mortal was meant to hear. Things about Gods, ancient times, and Grimm. Grimm from times past, far above anything anyone of them had ever faced as a species. They spoke of brothers, a vile god of light and a scheming god of dark, and the world that came to be by their actions, though before she could discern any more than that, they ceased. Perci shook her head, trying to forget what she heard as quickly as she could, focusing on her now girlfriend instead, and the fact that she had someone waiting for her at home. After having calmed herself down, at last, she turned to the other two, who only held the pleasure of watching Perci grab the sides of her head, shaking her entire body violently after a mere second of touch. "T-They... Won't last long. I give them the night." She concluded swiftly, walking away from them.

The footsteps from the other end of the cave both relieved and unnerved the trio at the same time. Port, along with Jin, both walked in, carrying several stretchers each. "Perci, Leila, help us please. Hue, you guide the way." He ordered then around, and at that point, all they wanted was to get back to their homes and forget this had ever happened. Opening the several large stretches, they piled up the cultists on them, just enough for a single trip into the city.

Walking out of the cave felt both refreshing and horrifying for the team. Knowing what they were carrying, it surely didn't help much that they were leading them back to Vale, though no longer having to deal with the gut-wracking stench in that case was a relief. The keg was left there be, empty as it was, none of them wanting anything to do with it, and after an hour's walk, now without having to search and look, they reached the bullhead, piling the people inside. This time, on the flight back, Perci took the seat next to Port, while the rest of her team stayed in the back, understanding her need to at least have someone to talk to on the way back.

The flight itself didn't take too long. Soon enough, they saw the buildings of Vale stretch out before them, their mission almost completed. However, before any of them could celebrate, Port's voice came from the front. "Darn it, I knew I forgot to refuel... I'm sorry girls, we'll have to land at the outskirts and carry them to the hospital from there!"

Holding her stomach in her hands, Leila just wanted this nightmare to end. It was heresy of the highest degree, to meddle with the forces of Grimm, and she had no idea what the Lord would do them once they perish. She glanced at Jin, who unlike the trip to the forest, now stared at the fading auras of the unconscious people in front of her, as if holding her fingers they'd survive.

Cursing herself for not doing more, Leila could only watch helplessly as they bullhead descended, just at the outskirts of town. The door opened up, letting the smell that accumulated in there for the duration of the ride drift out, only made worse by the cultists and the ichor on them. Leila practically ran outside, breathing as much fresh air as she could, wishing she would never have to deal with anything like that ever again.

And then they all heard an explosion.

It was far enough, clearly from the heart of the city, though it didn't take long for them to figure out what it was. Port ran out of the bullhead, weapon in one hand and scroll in the other, stopping just for long enough to explain his actions. "Sorry girls, I have to go! Vale has been breached by Grimm, and the rest of the teachers need me there ASAP!"

"T-Then what about-" Perci stepped from the other end of the cockpit, seemingly feeling a bit better after some stories from Port after the ride.

Port stopped her, running off. "There's no time! Just take them to the nearest hospital you can! I'll meet you there after we deal with this!"

And with that, he was off, just as quick as he came. Team JPLL looked around, seemingly in the archeological district of Vale, as the older buildings would suggest, looking at the two stretchers inside of the still parked and opened bullhead. "...We have to go after him. The cultists can wait." Perci muttered, prioritizing watching her role model act all badass instead of having to deal with the mission.

"Impossible." Hue interjected, waving her head. "The mission is to bring them to a hospital. If we have spare time, we can head after Professor Port and try and assist the breach. But until then, there's nothing else for us to do." Taking control of the group, Hue went inside, grabbing one of the stretchers, calling over to Jin, who lifted the other end, carrying them outside. Muffled moans of pain came from a few of them, but at that point Hue ironed herself as much as she could from their voices.

Perci wanted to object, or at least try and refuse, but she could no longer find the strength to do so. She took a peek at her scroll, looking for the nearest hospital, and upon seeing it was about half an hour away by foot, she approached one of the stretchers, lifting it, as she and the rest of team JPLL set out deeper into town.

Soon, the screams came. Civilians running away from the center of town horrified beyond belief by the Grimm that somehow ended up inside of the city itself. For the most part, they avoided the larger masses, just walking by, though the more they got closer, the more they noticed how the cultists they were carrying started fidgeting around, moving irrationally and unnaturally, _something_ stirring inside of them. Shrugging it off, the group tried to march on, though before long, one of them, shaking wildly, like a doll with a madman for a puppeteer, fell down to the ground. "Fuck..." Perci put down the handles she was holding, the others doing the same, as she approached the cultist, still shaking in pain. "Y-You, uh..." She asked, just hoping it wasn't his time just yet. "You alright there?" He didn't respond whatsoever, staying still on the ground, holding his stomach like his life depended on it, as another wave of people approached them, running and screaming.

And then, a claw erupted from his stomach.

Perci just stood there, dumbfounded, the light in his already dimmed out eyes snuffed out entirely, as an entire arm of a beowolf seemed to stretch out of his guts, covered in blood. At that point, even Perci started to shake, her vision going blurry, and before she knew it, a fully grown beowolf tore its way out, growling at the on goers and lunging at the frozen Perci. The screams of terror and disgust filled the air even more, and if it weren't for Jin's instincts, who tore through the weak Grimm with ease, Perci's neck would have already been clawed open. Perci came to thank her, but before she could, Jin turned back to her, her face distraught and dismayed. Whatever it was, Perci highly doubted her fragile mind would be able to stand much longer.

After the first beowolf was dispatched, more followed. Fueled by the fear and panic around them, Jin was left helpless as she was forced to witness one cultist after another burst, leaving more grimm in their wake. It didn't take long for the paranoia to settle in, as Perci, Hue, and Leila all rallied up, weapons raised, massacring the Grimm as much as they possibly could, Perci in particular screaming at the top of her lungs. "DIE! JUST DIE ALREADY! FUCKING DIE, ALL OF YOU!" Her voice was devoid of reason, pure fear guiding her actions, bashing one beowolf after another, leaving more torn out corpses in her wake.

At some point, one of the bodies was hatched, a smaller hole forming inside of it, as an entire swarm of nevermores flew out, spiraling in the skies around the team. Though each one wasn't bigger than an ant, together, they formed quite the body, launching themselves at the huntresses, razor sharp beaks pointed directly towards their skin. Leila sprang into action, screaming at the top of her lungs as her barrel landed on fire dust, unleashing a fiery volley from the skies upon the tiny nevermores. While she managed to fell a good amount of them, it was still not enough, as the swarm turned their attention to her, replying to her attack with a rain of razor sharp feathers, enough in size to kill.

Perci stepped in, raising using her immense aura to deflect the feathers, trying to pay as much attention to the remaining cultists. She then took a glance at Jin, gauging how she was dealing with it, and it seemed that the only reason Jin didn't snap quite yet was the fact that she had Grimm to kill, and it took some of the load off her mentally childish shoulders.

So far, the Grimm kept coming, as some from within the breach itself joined in the fight from the other end, surrounding the two. The team converged, looking around, none of them sans Jin not even caring for the cultists anymore, wanting to end this as quickly as they could possibly get. Shifting her weapon to gun form, Perci pointed it at the oncoming hordes, unleashing everything she could at the many, many Grimm around them, until her firearm made a clicking noise, out of bullets. She shifted it back, ready to fight for her life, as another shot pierced the air, killing a few of them. "Oi! You guys!" They looked as team ACMM burst through the hordes, running directly at them, Ash calling out to the group. "Are you guys okay?! We heard about the breach happening, and-" She then looked at the torn up corpses, stepping back in fear and shock. "W-What the fuck is that?!"

Perci merely grabbed her shoulder, shaking her head slowly. "They brought it on themselves. The only thing left to do now is to kill all of them. But first..." She pointed to the stronger grimm around them. "Better finish those off." Her state, as it was, was beyond the maddening fear that caught her at first. Any capacity she had to feel compassion was whisked away from her face, leaving a stone cold killer in front of the other team, bent on getting this nightmare done and forgotten with as promptly as they could.

Melody fell to her knees, and Undine looked away, unwilling to even face the horrors. Copper, on the other hand, being as emotionless as ever, didn't miss a beat, attempting to cut the remaining living cultists apart, before Jin snapped, stopping her and holding her sent forward drive in her hand. She shook her head wildly, not wanting to see another aura snuffed out, and Copper didn't insist, pulling back, and returning her attention to the hordes around them.

The fight commenced, and it didn't take them long to dispatch the Grimm that attacked them. Melody and Jin still couldn't bring themselves to do anything at the moment, leaving the remaining six to deal with the threat, working as efficiently as they could to finish them, removing the outer ring of grimm one by one.

Time passed, and a few minutes later, they were finished with the Grimm from the outside, now only having to decide what to do with the internal group of cultists, who still periodically gave birth to Grimm here and there, Jin's instants kicking in and stopping them each time. There weren't many of them left, about six in number, and from the looks of it, they could finally take a breather, seeing as none of them seemed to bring forth more grimm. There were still a few tiny nevermores flying around, but they weren't much of an issue at that point.

"O-Oh fuck... I think I'm gonna need a loooooot to drink after this..." Perci took a sigh of relief, believing it to be other at last.

"You can count me in then." Ash chimed on her offer. "Just... What in the name of god even happened here?..." Her eyes widened in shock as Perci slowly tried to recall what they all just saw, the vivid imagery still fresh on her mind. She doubted that she'd forget it anytime soon, but regardless, the words spilled out of her mouth, slowly recalling everything. The nevermores landed on the seemingly dead cultists, as if nesting on them, and finally directing their attention to the last six.

"So... What now? NOW can we fucking kill them?" Perci offered one last time, looking at the others with primal fear in her eyes. Jin didn't matter. No one mattered. All she wanted was for this to end.

It didn't take long, before slow nods came from most of them, winning by the majority. "A-Alright... Then I'll do it." Taking the toll on herself, and being the one most steeled against seeing murders happen, Perci stepped forth, raising her cane to bash one of their faces in, fully intending on destroying anything that was left of them before any could explode into more Grimm. She stared at the cultist before her, a young woman, not that older than the rest of them, foaming at her mouth and eyes rolled to the back of her head, as the ichor drove them all far away from the edge of sanity. Perci could only imagine the voices that still spoke to them, and with that, sent her cane down, to finish the job.

But the worst was yet to come.

Before she knew it, the cultist rose up, his body suddenly springing to action, grabbing a few of the smaller nevermores and shoving them down his throat, chewing and swallowing them almost whole, as if something else commanded his body at that point. Almost on cue, the rest of them did the same, finishing off the remains of the small swarm, making Perci jump back again, ready for anything that might happen then.

Melody, on the other hand, could only shake her head, shutting down her eyes, knowing what it meant. "No... Please, not again..." She kept muttering, Perci walking closer to her and lifting her to a hug, as well as a kiss.

"Don't worry, alright Love?" Perci tried to reassure her, watching as all of the cultists got up to their feet, moving awkwardly and unnaturally. "I'll protect you, so stand back." She then turned towards the questionably living humans, raising her cane, the rest of teams JPLL and ACMM did the same.

The cultists kept jittering, spamming around and screaming incoherently as if something was eating them from the inside. Soon, their eyes changed, now red and haunting, as their heads stopped twitching, eyeing the huntresses with a mad hunger for anything and everything that could be consumed. The eyes glowed brightly, taking any shred of hope that they were human anymore, as their entire bodies froze right after, seemingly stopped in time entirely.

Their skin, gray and sickly, started to shift, outright peeling in some places, only to reveal black flesh flowing under it. For one of them, an entire palm burst right open, leaving scraps of skin attached to the claw that now replaced it, razor sharp claws sticking out of the almost human-shaped fingers. For another, the left hand fell off entirely, as a writhing tentacle replaced it, almost like a whip, slithering about like a snake, seeking prey. Another one's face partially shed off, showing the horrifying truth: The head was entirely eaten from within, as black flesh replaced it. However, despite all that, some parts of it were revealed, as the dark flesh was growing around a still exposed brain, coating it entirely.

Soon... It was done. All of them, six in number, stood as something that was no longer human, but of Grimm origin, seemingly after consuming their human hosts entirely from within. The six that still stood against the threat, eyes widened and mouths gagged, could only stare in sheer terror, unwilling to even believe that what they were seeing was real. Copper, on the other hand, seemed far too calm for the situation. Perci wished for a brief moment that she could have a semblance like hers, to negate the fear inside of her, though at the moment none of them could bring herself to speak.

One of now Grimm took a look around. It was still new to it to control a human body, or so it seemed, walking sluggishly, and picking up a brick that fell on the ground. It stared at it, seemingly getting a feel for the weight, before turning to the huntresses, screeching in human tongue, and launching the brick at Hue, who moved quickly enough to get out of the way. The others, who observed the first's action, picked other things off the ground, throwing them at the huntresses, quickly learning how to use their new limbs, Causing Perci to finally snap.

"ALRIGHT, FUCK IT! I'M FUCKING KILLING ALL OF YOU!" She had had enough of this freak show, dashing at one of the Grimm, sending a fist into its face. It connected, and the Grimm flew back, though the moment she touched it, Perci went entirely stiff. It was impossible, but as the thoughts ran through her head, she realized what was going on. The brains were still living. The humans were still alive. The Grimm kept them alive on the most technical level. And as the Grimm fell back, the small flickers of light around it vanishing, showing that some external force defended it from the oncoming attack, the rest froze, Jin falling to her knees in despair.

After all... She still saw six auras.


	29. Stolen Skin

There they stood. All eight of them, against the misshapen monstrosities that wore human skin. Jin was already crouched in a fetal position, shaking in place and refusing to lift a finger, while Melody wasn't far behind her, hiding behind the giant's body. On the other end, the remainder of teams JPLL and ACMM stood with horror and disgust on their faces, watching the six abominations that now looked back at them through human faces, half peeled away and clearly dislocated on the new flesh that now coursed through their body.

Perci, on her part, retracted her fist, jumping back to regroup. "T-They..." She could only mumble, the terror on her eyes speaking volumes, though by now everyone realized it. They weren't just fighting Grimm at that point. The people, the cultists that drank the ichor, somehow _lived._ Kept alive by the monsters that festered from within them. Forced to witness as their bodies were eaten from the inside and used as nothing more than a weapon.

And with the human life... Came the aura.

Another one of the Grimm screeched, opening it's human mouth and shouting something incoherent, the voice coming out is that of a person, rather than a monster. It then ran at them, rather mindlessly, swinging its tentacle-like arm at the group. Copper reacted first, sending one of her Proto Drives to intercept, hitting it mid-air and holding it at bay. Her head spun in place, still keeping it in check, speaking in the same emotionless tone she had always spoken in. "Step back. Now. I will hold them off." Assuming none of them could fight at the moment, she flicked her drive, lifting the Grimm with ease and smashing it against the ground, though the aura it had protecting the body still cushioned the fall, reducing the damage greatly. Another one lifted an extra brick, throwing it at Copper, who brought out a second Drive, shattering it mid-air.

However, soon enough, all six of them realized she needed to be dealt with first, quickly adapting to the situation. The first broke contact with her Drive, finally freeing itself, and regrouping with the others, they exchanged glances for just a brief moment, starting to dash around her from several different angles, as the mastery over the human form they now held came to them almost naturally. Copper, on the other hand, didn't flinch, remaining as calm as ever, and brought out all six of her Drives, swinging at all of them, assuming she'd hit.

But alas... They learned.

One slid under her attack, while another jumped over it. In a matter of seconds, all of them realized her pattern, as if they thought as one, working around her basic maneuver, approaching her still. In a last ditch effort to evade them, Copper used all of her Drives to launch herself into the air, flying upwards as all six of them clashed into one another, spinning with all of her drives to eviscerate them in one fell swoop.

The next thing that happened managed to catch even her off guard, as the metal of her Drives was met with the clinging sound of another piece of metal. One of them, now holding a rusty pipe, brought it upwards, parrying her crudely, though just hard enough to make her stagger in the air. It took another swing, flailing its arm wildly at her, hitting Copper directly and sending her flying, as she rolled on the ground a good couple of feet away.

Another one of the, with a paw for a hand, walked slowly towards her, raising sharp, black claw to finally rid the Grimm from the only one who so far had the guts not to puke her insides and fight them, despite the revolting nature they held. She glanced just once at the others as if begging for assistance, before her head fell, motionless and hurt.

"NO!" Next to rise to arms was Leila, pulling out Caliborn and spinning the barrel to her favorite type, the red shining crystal reflecting the setting sun above them. She swung it hard, sending the volley of fire upon the foul Grimm that infested her Lord's garden, but to her dismay, by now they got the concept of dodging, moving around the fireballs, and finally heading in their direction. One of them got hit, starting to burn in place and screaming in pain, or at least imitating the action, before it dropped to the ground, rolling in place, ridding itself of the fires.

As the Grimm drew closer, Perci dashed in to defend her friend, raising the Anarchy Melodica and swinging it at one of them. It caught the weapon, though before it could pull it out of her hands, Perci tapped into her massive aura reserve, her enormous strength allowing her to lift the came _with_ the Grimm holding onto it, and slamming it on the ground, shouting in a rage filled frenzy. "DIE!" Once the Grimm hit the ground, she brought her fist, to finish the job, as another one came in just in time, striking her instead, and sending Perci away. She spun mid-air, staggered, as Hue ran to her, catching Perci before she could hit the ground, and putting her down on her feet.

Ash dealt with another two, Undine assisting her, trying to aim her shots proper. Alas, with the sluggish nature of her pistol, unless the target was big enough and not moving her accuracy proved more than faulty. On her side, Undine transformed Oceanline to its harpoon gun form, charging up a blast of ice dust. "EAT ICE YOU FUCKERS!" She shouted, pulling the trigger and unleashing a blast of pure ice at one of them, that got too close. It jumped into the air, holding a knife, and with unnatural accuracy for a Grimm, brought it down against her head, leaving Undine little to no time to strike back. Instinct kicked in, and she tapped into her semblance, quickly sinking into the ground, but leaving her weapon out in the open. The Grimm picked it up, now aiming it at Ash, and blasted her with the same shot as before, freezing her leg almost entirely.

"Shit!..." Ash tried to move, or at least break the ice holding her down, as the Grimm now holding Oceanline charged right at her, swinging the weapon wildly without transforming it back, luckily enough not knowing how. She pulled out Quick Justice, using the baton to somehow defend herself against the coming threat, backed into a corner while the Grimm wailed on her, striking repeatedly.

Leila attempted to come to her aid, switching to earth Dust, and striking the earth, she unleashed a small tremor on everything around her. The Grimm got shocked, though before letting go, it threw the weapon away to one of its allies, as the Ice over Ash's leg broke free, and she dashed back, pulling out Blind Justice and aiming a shot. She pulled the trigger, though thanks to Leila's tremor still working in the background, she couldn't accurately aim in the small window of opportunity she got, missing entirely, and in fact grazing Leila herself. Already in a full blown panic attack, Leila didn't notice, pumping as much aura as she could into her blade, switching to ice dust and unleashing a huge spread of exploding ice flowers all around her.

As the icy bloom came to a close, Leila's aura finally ran through. Having spent her entire aura on trying to push the Grimm away, she fell to one knee, looking as defiant as ever, about three of them approaching her slowly, killing intent in their eyes. "Oh no you fucking DON'T!" Perci's voice came from the side, as she and Hue intervened, arrows and gunfire pushing them just for enough to allow Perci to pull Leila away back to safety. Laying her on her back, looking over at the exhausted nun, Perci couldn't help but shake her head. "No no no!... We need everyone for this..." She muttered over and over. At the end of the day, they didn't have a limitless supply of aura, and the Grimm seemed to grow smarter, utilizing the human brains in their possession more and more efficiently at a staggering rate. She looked down at Leila, trying to get up but unable to, thinking about what to do.

And then, it clicked.

She brought her hand, pressing it against Leila's face tightly, the nun having little to no say in the matter. The fight with Elaine popped back into her head, and the more she thought about it, the more she realized something. It was something that she never knew she was capable of, but regardless existed within the spectrum of her semblance all along.

She melded their auras, but instead of pull, she pushed.

Leila's eyes flung open, feeling aura pump _Into_ her, refueling her with energy. Once Perci gave her enough, she lifted her hand, Leila quickly getting back up on her feet, looking at Perci both surprised and confused. "P-Perci... How?..."

"Just shut up, alright?" Perci herself didn't really like the idea of just giving aura away, but if it meant winning this god-awful fight and finally going back to Beacon, she would do whatever it took. "Now take your fucking sword and be careful next time, alright? I'm not made out of aura you know..." She lingered in place for just one last second, before running back, cane in hand, to rejoin the fight. Leila looked at her weapon one last time, before nodding, feeling the aura coursing through her, as if it was hers all along, running after Perci.

Perci got back just in time, as Undine popped out of the ground, the Grimm holding her weapon coming to swing at her still rising head. She jump-kicked it from the side, knocking it back, and finally dropping Oceanline, which Undine raised a hand to grab as soon as she could. By now, the rest of the Grimm realized how much of a threat Perci can actually _be_ , as all of them dropped whoever they were fighting with, turning their attention directly to her. "So, you what some of this, eh?..." Perci grinned, raising her cane and getting into position. "Then come get me, you bitches! I'll beat all Y'all!" She called out, hiding her fear behind a thick layer of cocky recklessness, as two of them ran towards her, one holding the pipe and the other swinging it's tentacle arm at her. Hue tried to stop them with her frozen arrows, further aided by Undine, who fully rose up, though each time they missed, Perci having to face all six on her own.

Melody stared in horror, as her girlfriend was doomed from the start. Unlike Copper, Perci never had the capacity to hold herself against many opponents like that, and it wasn't long before she was on the floor, beaten, as one of them came to finally end her life. "No..." Melody murmured, stuck in place, the only option left for her being too frightening to choose. "Perci no..." The tentacle was raised, the Grimm looking down at her with a mad-like expression, or at the very least, the best imitation it could get for one. At that moment, Melody felt something within her. Something calling out, reaching to her very soul, telling her what she needed to do. She rose up to her feet, tapping into whatever it was, as her voice rang out, loud and true.

"PERCIIIII!"

Before the final blow was struck, a hand grabbed it. Perci, now on her knees, smirked as she stood back against the incoming monstrosities, feeling stronger than ever. "Well, then... Seems like _I_ got me a little power up..." She looked the Grimm in the eye, looking almost dauntless, as if all shred of fear was taken away from her, leaving a thoroughly pissed Perci in her wake. "Let's test it out, shall we?"

She started to swing her cane again, far faster than before. The others joined in, but with the Grimm's understanding of each of them, none of them could actually do anything, left in an odd stalemate. Melody, now back on her feet, feeling the same boost Perci got, raised her weapon, aiming it at one of them, and taking a rather simple shot, hitting the head directly. It turned in place, it's body twisting in almost unnatural degrees, running towards her with mad glee, though at that point Melody didn't back down. Alas, she was too far away from the others to help her, and with no other choice, raised her sword, ready for whatever it had in store.

The Grimm brought down its claw, Melody's Swan Song parrying it, but just barely. Despite the bravery she showed, physical force was still not her strongest suit. It swung at her from the side, Melody quickly moving her sword to protect herself. "Love!" Perci called from the side, coming to her rescue, as the Grimm kept herself and the rest of them busy enough. Melody retaliated with a swing of her own, but the Grimm grabbed it by the other end, pulling it out of her hands, now taking her weapon for its own. Her eyes narrowed in fear, standing forth regardless, refusing to just let her fear stop her again, the surge she felt keeping her running.

But before it could swing the blade... A claw pierced its heart. Jin's claw.

The others stood for a brief moment, staring in awe, as Jin's shocked face contradicted her actions. She looked horrified at her own actions, but regardless, her instincts kicked in, telling her what she needed to do. She pulled out her electrified hand from the Grimm, watching the aura around it shatter completely as she managed to kill it, taking out the cultist with it. She still shook in place, knowing she saved Melody's aura, but at the expense of another, still unwilling to fully recognize it.

"Jin..." Melody gazed at her, just as shocked as the giantess was, turning her attention to the remaining five. By now, the other's auras were pretty low, even with Perci trying to use her semblance to balance everyone out. At the end of the day, she was out of aura herself at that point, though the Grimm around them didn't let up, swinging and bashing, focusing on Jin until she couldn't take anymore as well, as both teams ACMM and JPLL finally had nothing more they could do. Copper herself finally recovered, joining the fight, despite having no aura to save her as well.

They gathered together, with weapons raised, the five Eldritchan Grimm coming at them, each one more menacing than the last. They each held some sort of weapon, one of them even getting hold of a knife, forcing the huntresses in training into a corner. Perci looked at the others, nodding once, and raising her weapon. "If we go down... We go down fighting." She tried to put on a brave face, though deep inside, it was clear that fear had a hold on her. They all did, forcing each other and themselves to keep fighting, the rush finally ending as the fear settled in. They looked onwards in despair, not knowing what to do next, Leila praying that someone would come to their rescue, as at that point none of them would survive.

And almost on cue, the blade of a scythe connected by a chain flew above them, landing in front of the Grimm.

Leila gasped, watching Elaine descend from the sky on her own, joining the fray. "Elaine, what're you-?"

"Step back!" She called at them, turning her masked face towards the two teams for a split second. "Just stay out of my way, I'll handle this!" She pulled out Deicide, her trusty scythe, fully extending it and holding it against the Grimm. "You are a blemish upon my world..." She whispered, showing no signs of fear, like a true huntress. "Now die."

One of them screeched, feeling a tad cocky, running towards her with a pipe raised. Elaine didn't even falter, moving to the side, and with a quick swing of her scythe, sliced the head apart, watching it fall to the floor and crumble away, leaving scraps of skin where it used to it. The body, now headless, stopped in place for a moment, before turning around, and leaping to her back, swinging regardless. Elaine jumped in the air, dodging it swiftly, only for the tentacled one to grab one of its brethren, lifting it into the air and throwing it at Elaine. It swung a heavy claw at her, Elaine quickly dislodging the blade from the handle, as it flew into the ground, pulling her under and avoiding the attack. She jumped as soon as she landed, keeping the blade flying around her, spinning it around and sending it flying, managing to cut the tentacle right off.

The Grimm screamed in pain, the others joining in, as if they all felt it as one. Elaine didn't miss a beat, dashing at them with great force, drawing her scythe away for another swing. Before any of them could react to her, she fell to her feet, sliding under them. Once she was right in the middle, she pulled out a red crystal, using her aura to activate it and throwing it at them, as a fiery explosion burst in front of their faces, staggering all of them at once. Taking the opportunity, she finished what she started, stabbing the headless one in the chest and hacking it in two, leaving another decaying corpse on the floor, only angering the others further.

Only three left standing, the Grimm rallied, attempting a different approach, keeping their distance away from the Haven Reaper and lifting whatever they could off the ground, throwing it at a rapid pace. Playing their game, she wrapped the scythe around her arm, pulling out two barrels from the tip, and pointing her arm at the trio of Grimm, shooting a barrage of fiery dust at all of them, each crystal exploding in a spectacular fashion, just like before.

When the dust settled, another fell, blown the smithereens. The other two, looking at one another for a quick second, ran around her, weapons raised, waiting for a single window of opportunity to attack. One of them tried running at the other girls, though the moment it did Elaine launched herself at it, doing anything she could to keep them out of the fight. "I'm right here!" She called out, the faceless mask she wore showing nothing of her intent.

Without the ability to read her properly, the Grimm were left with no choice than to keep her occupied, hoping that they'd be able to distract her long enough to rid her of her aura, and then take her out. Now, having roughly watched her movements, they decided to try again, running towards her, pipes in hand, swinging at her from both top and bottom. Elaine jumped into vertical position, spinning midair as the pipes passed above and below her, bringing out her scythe and slicing their makeshift weapons into ribbons, landing on her feet as they fell into pieces.

The Grimm, however, did not let up, running close to hand to hand combat range, sending a flurry of kicks and punches at the masked huntress. Elaine took mere a quick breath, pushing them back and holding her ground, though the barrage of attacks from both of them proved quicker than she anticipated, keeping her with her guard up. Trying to put some distance between herself and her opponents, she jumped back, standing on her scythe and watching them approach, pulling another red crystal, aiming straight for the middle of them. As she threw the red Dust, already setting it to explode, each of them jumped to the side, rolling away from her attack, keeping their advent in her direction.

Elaine didn't let up, preparing her weapon, this time pulling out the barrels as well. One of them came to send a round kick, as she ducked away and brought her blade, firing a small explosion directly towards its crotch area, sending it flying away with a hole between its legs. It stood regardless, brushing off the need for body parts, as the other jumped above, landing with a foot aimed at her mask. Elaine backflipped out of the way, landing a fair bit away from the two.

She pondered her options. At that rate, they would learn everything she could do, and easily overpower her. Realizing she had no other choice, she closed her eyes behind her mask, tapping into the one power she had that could help her. The desire to rule all fueling her aura, she raised her hand, looking as stern and as cold as ever at the two of them, activating her semblance.

By the time they realized something was wrong, it was too late. Her semblance, sapping away their strength and adding it to her own, already kicked into full gear, as the punches they threw became slower and more sluggish, while Elaine herself became even more nimble. She only had a few seconds like this to keep her semblance active, but in those few seconds, she knew she had everything it took to finish the job.

Running at one of them she gave a quick upper swing to the head, tricking it into ducking. Swiping her feet, she caught it off guard, bringing her scythe down, as it rolled away, getting away from her by a slim margin. Regardless, she pushed on, jumping above it again, far faster then it could react, slicing it cleanly in half, and killing it at last.

The other, finally on its own, screamed one last time, as if shouting out a battle cry, as it ran towards her, picking up the knife that fell on the ground. Elaine, on the other hand, didn't miss a single beat, dodging every swing with ease, and before the Grimm knew it. She cut its arm off, her scythe raised to the air, covered in ichor. It shouted at her, opening a revolting mouth filled with mismatched teeth, bellowed in pain at the lost limb, before sending the other from the opposite direction. Elaine shook her head, showing no mercy, spinning Deicide across her body and bringing it on the other arm, taking it down as well.

Left armless, the Grimm stepped back, having no way to attack her. Giving one last ditch effort, it lunged Elaine, opening its jaw to bite her head off, though at that point it was mostly harmless. Elaine naturally brought forth the tip of her weapon, sticking it in the monster's mouth as the dust recharged.

"Now cease." She uttered, pulling the trigger, an explosion tearing the Grimm apart from within, finally ending the horrible nightmare.

The eight of them stared at the decomposing pile of corpses left behind by Elaine, as Perci's face shifted to a rather satisfied grin. "W-We're... Alive." She took a second look, counting heads as if doubting her own perception of reality. "We're all fucking alive!" She ran to Melody, hugging her tightly, almost shaking her in place. "I'm alive! You're alive! Holy fucking shit! WOW!" The adrenaline rush keeping strong in her, Perci couldn't help but shower Melody with kisses, who tried to shy away from her forwardness, though enjoying the gesture regardless.

As the two teams took a breath of fresh air, Leila stepped closer to Elaine, who was busy cleaning her weapon from the ichor that gathered on it in the fight. Elaine stopped for the time being, turning her attention to her friend, as Leila couldn't help but bow to her. "...Thank you, Elaine. If it weren't for you, we'd be all dead..." She couldn't help but muse on her own words. Not that long ago, they all faced certain death. She took another peek at the others, watching Jin still shaken, but standing, and Hue tending to her, trying to hug her to make her feel better.

Elaine turned to Leila fully, a faint grin showing on her face. "...Don't mention it." She muttered. "I only did what I know was right."

"As one would expect from a fourth-year student." Another voice, a male this time, pierced the veil, as Professor Ozpin himself, followed by Port, approached the nine of them. He looked at the still decaying corpses, traces of skin remaining behind, and it didn't take him long to realize what just happened. "And would the nine of you mind explaining to me what happened here? It seemed like you just encountered a..." His eyes narrowed a bit, fixing his glasses with his left hand. "Rather _unique_ type of Grimm..."

* * *

Brought back to Beacon, each of them was taken for questioning. Elaine was let out first, having little to nothing to do with the situation beforehand, only there to finish off the fight proper. As for JPLL and ACMM, the secret was out, and by the time Ash came to her interview, Ozpin had a rather clear image of everything they knew about the Grimm cult.

"Ash..." He started, staring at the detective girl as she sat down, looking rather somber. "I hope you understand the gravity of the situation, hiding such information from us." He frowned lightly, taking a small sip of his mug. In truth, he disliked being overly stern with his students, but in times like these, it was a must.

Ash frowned as well, looking to the side. "So the others told you everything, huh?..." Her secret out, she leaned on her chair, trying to relax. Regardless, the images of the Grimm, staring at them through human faces still haunted her mind, and while being alive did wonders to lift her mood, it wasn't enough to heal the mental damages she sustained. Some part of her thanked whatever there was out there that she wasn't on team JPLL, or Jin in particular, as she could only imagine the horror of having to take another aura's life, especially when it came to kill another.

Ozpin nodded, taking another sip, keeping his cool all the while. "...Yes, they did. Now, I'm going to ask you the same question, though I am pretty sure at this point that it is not much you know that I still don't." His head leaned a bit closer, looking her in the eyes. "is there anything else you want to tell me about the cultists?"

Ash looked at him, trying to think. "They told you about Merlot, right?" Ozpin nodded. "And... About the first Eldritchan?" Another nod confirmed her suspicion. "Then... I don't think so, no." She sighed, having no other choice but to wait for Ozpin's final verdict on her actions.

"Alright, then..." Ozpin leaned back into his chair, looking at Ash with rather content eyes. "First, I want you to know that I am, to some degree, proud of you for deciding to go above and beyond to protect those around you." A soft grin managed to escape his lips. "It's the mark of a true huntress."

Ash met his grin with a smirk of her own, chuckling without voice briefly before leaning back into her chair, letting one hand fall behind it and her legs to stretch forward. "Thanks." She nodded, happy that at the very least it wasn't _all_ bad.

"However..." Ozpin's tone changed again for the worse, making Ash lose her mood a bit, staring at him rather seriously. "You acted recklessly and foolishly. First-year students shouldn't need to face such things this soon." He swiftly concluded, raising his eyes from his mug to look directly at her. "This is why, on top of having psychological treatment until I am certain you can function fully again... I want you, and team JPLL, away from this investigation. From here on, I will have professional huntsman look for the leader of this small cult, and have him apprehended before he can cause any more harm."

Ash's face fell drastically, having heard the one thing that she least wanted to hear. "So, what you're saying is..." She wanted to make sure, Ozpin nodding once in agreement.

"Yes, Ash..." He figured he'd put things how she wanted to interpret them, just to emphasize his point. "You're off the case."

"Ah man..." She pouted, looking away and falling over a bit, leaning on her chair more heavily. "But we found it first..."

Ozpin shook his head regardless, keeping his stand. "And I am sure that in due time, when you graduate, you will be able to use your skills for the betterment of Remnant, and help a lot more people. But for now, you have your studies to do, and I will not let you, or any of your friends, risk your lives like that again."

Ash took a deep sigh, breathing out and looking at Ozpin wearily. In truth, she was beyond exhausted, and at the moment, she wanted nothing more than just lay in bed for probably forever. "...Fine, I guess..." She muttered, as the sacks beneath her eyes became quite apparent and clear.

Ozpin nodded, finally agreeing to send her away. "Alright, off you go then, Ms. Noir." He concluded, pointing to the door. "I think by now the rest of your friends should be waiting for you in their dorms."

She stepped outside, wobbling a bit, tired but happy. At the very least, the Grimm were dead, and none of them would have to deal with them for a long, long time, possibly forever, if Ozpin would get them in time. Getting to her dorm and opening the door, she already saw all of her team on their beds, Copper included, sleeping peacefully, Melody muttering Perci's name under her breath, Undine seemingly dreaming about eating something, as her chewing of her pillow would have suggested, leaving only one bed vacant. Without even taking her coat off, Ash just wobbled to the softness that awaited, falling over on the sheets, and closing her eyes, succumbing to the confines of sleep at last.


	30. Rules & Regulations

The days in Beacon Academy ran their course, leaving teams JPLL and ACMM with little to worry about, at least for the time being. With the investigation taken over by Beacon's staff, and Ozpin in particular, the two teams were left with very little to do outside of their school activities. Sans, at least, the occasional psychological checkup each of them was obligated to attend, in order to treat the periodic nightmares some of them still suffered from the ordeal they had to go through a few weeks prior. Soon enough, however, the Eldritchan threat started to fade from their immediate memory, despite talking about it here and there. Ash still showed some spite for not being able to look into it anymore, she too fell in line sooner or later, agreeing that a normal school life was better, at least until all of them fully healed up mentally.

Then, of course, came the Vytal tournament. After discussing it as a team, Leila and Perci managed to convince Hue and Jin to join them in getting signed up for it, both as a test to their skills and as a way to push the team further. Jin, for the most part, seemed less reluctant to fighting other auras in general. While she still showed some restraint in her punches, after what she was forced to do to save Melody, it seemed that something inside her clicked. A realization that sometimes she _had_ to fight. At the very least, seeing so many cheerful students around her helped boost Jin's mood greatly, leaving her as jolly as ever. And so, as Leila entered the arena that morning looking for her partner, she saw Jin, as well as Ash and Undine, who both easily dodged her powerful, albeit primal slashes.

Leila cleared her throat, stepping in. The other three greeted her, and she bowed to them, glancing around for a quick moment. "Good morning everyone..." Her voice trailed, still lost in thought, hoping she might have found Perci there, but alas, no dice. "I don't suppose any of you have seen Perci around, have you?" She asked, wishing that instead, one of them might have seen her around. Perci had this tendency to vanish when she wanted, going to places only the Lord knew about.

Ash walked a bit closer, smiling calmly. Now that she didn't have an investigation on her mind anymore, her laid back mood settled in fully, grinning for a bit before scratching her head under her fedora, trying to remember. "Umm... She was here like an hour ago with us, but I dunno where she went after that..." Ash herself seemed to be under no pressure whatsoever, in stark contrast to Leila's rather stressful mood to find her partner as soon as possible. After handing out the papers for participation in the tournament, Glynda decided to call them, of all people, though she already suspected why. "Oi, U," Ash turned to her teammate, looking a tad slouchy. "Any idea where P went?"

"Nnnope." Undine chimed in, emphasizing the 'P' slightly, making a popping sound with her mouth. "I mean yeah, she was here, but you know how Perci is. One minute she's here, the next she's probably off in town spending her monthly student allowance something stupid like that gift she got Mel a few days ago."

Leila stared at the fish faunus curiously. "Hmm? I was not aware that she bought Melody something." Even if Perci was genuinely growing closer to them, her love life was a complete mystery. Sure, sometimes Melody would divulge some details, saying that Perci was treating her like royalty, but at no point have they actually seen the two of them on one of Perci's now infamous dates. "What did she get her?" She couldn't admit it outright, but Leila was a bit curious as to what it was, being too busy practicing for the tournament herself to know.

"A tiara," Ash answered. "She actually got her a damn tiara with gold and jewels and everything. I honestly have no clue where she even got the money for something this expensive, but there you go, Melody now has a tiara." She couldn't help but laugh lightly at the absurdity of the situation, shaking her head afterward. "I'm tellin' you; she spoils that girl far too much... One of these days I'll have to talk to her about it." She mused, surprised nonetheless.

Regardless, seeing as she wasn't here, Leila departed, looking towards the door before saying goodbye. "Well, then when I find her I'll tell Perci to come talk to you about the matter when she is available. Until then, farewell." Leila bowed, walking outside, and resuming her search.

After touring the entire interior of the student dormitories, as well as the main building of the school, finding nothing, Leila headed outside. Praying she'd find her partner somewhere within Beacon's borders, she scoured the courtyard, asking any passerby her eyes laid on for anything they might have known about Perci's whereabouts, with no new leads coming out of it. She was about to give up, and just going to Ozpin herself, going by the dorms one last time to check, circling the building.

And then, she heard the cackles.

It was impossible to mistake those cackles for anyone else. Only Perci had this laugh, which she employed ever so often, and Leila ran behind the dorms, already prepared to catch Perci blackmailing someone, or doing something else illegal. Last she remembered Perci still had some of those cigars left, and possibly a bottle of jack stored up somewhere, if she knew her partner as well as she thought.

The scene that was revealed to her, however, was not something she expected. Perci stood near some section of the wall that had the sun shining on it, with a large section of the wall covered in moss almost entirely. Perci stood near it, using a key she had on her to scribble things on the wall, carving them onto the moss with rather copious amounts of enthusiasm in her actions. As she walked closer, she could recognize the letters, reading some of the sentences that were now immortalized on the wall by her delinquent of a partner.

_'Smoke weed every day.'_

_'Monaters.'_

_'You can't touch the Kingpin.'_

All of those, and a few more were scribbled down, carved in the moss, as well as sections of the wall itself. Leila sighed, reading them as she got closer. Perci, alerted to her presence and without shifting herself towards the nun, opened her mouth and greeted her. "Sup?" She was in the middle of carving yet another sentence, and after finishing the last letter she was working on, finally directed her full attention to Leila, turning towards her fully. The letters all seemed crudely made, as the wall and the moss didn't particularly allow smooth carving in them, but regardless, they conveyed the message just as well.

Leila, weary of her shticks, observed over the wall one last time. "And what, if you don't mind me asking, are these?" She pointed to a few of them, not really approving of the coarse language and the messages, having no idea that most likely Perci just picked those up from pop culture she was so fond of, as well as the RemNet.

"Oh, these? Those are my legacy." Perci spoke, her voice beaming with actual pride. "See, a while back I stumbled across this wall, right? And there's like, a ton of moss on it." She pointed to the rest of the wall, with plenty more to cover it. Even with her carves taking a good proportion of the wall, there was still ample free space for more words and silly jokes to be put there. "Now, here's a funny fact about moss: If you cut only a piece of it, then it grows back relatively to that specific spot."

Leila gazed at her explain her twisted little logic, looking rather confused and perplexed. "Which means?..." She wasn't entirely sure where Perci was going with this, and thus, asked her to elaborate, spinning her hand in place a bit as a gesture to continue. In truth, she just wanted to get this matter done with, as so to finally get Perci to come with her to Ozpin's office and get the registration to the tournament done with. After all, it was Perci who first brought up the whole ordeal to the team, and for someone who was more than eager to sit Hue down and talk out all the reasons as to why it was perfect idea, Perci sure seemed complacent to just ignore being called to discuss this very specific subject with the headmaster.

"Well..." Perci actually did some build up to this, seemingly proud of her master plan. "It means that when it grows back, what I carved in here will stick around, even if the moss around it keeps growing. I have made myself immortal Nun." Perci looked outright giddy, to a slightly cartoonish degree, even. "This will stay here forever." She seemed utterly convinced of her silly notions, raising her hand for a thumbs up of approval to her own silly idea.

Leila, on the other hand, wasn't particularly amused. She actually raised her hand to her face, audibly giving herself a face palm at the sheer stupidity that came out of Perci's mouth. "You... Do now that it doesn't work like that, right? The moss will most likely just regenerate sooner or later, and you'll either have to re-carve all of this absurd nonsense again onto the wall, or you'll just forget about it and leave it be." She tried to at least speak out of her own logic. It only seemed sensible to assume no plant on Remnant actually grows this perfectly aligned and layered. "Anyway... I hope you realize that we had a talk with Ozpin and Glynda scheduled about the tournament, right? He said he couldn't let us enter it before we get a matter settled with him."

Perci looked at her rather bored already, but regardless shrugged, starting to pace slowly towards Ozpin's office. "Fine, fine... I guess. I just know what he wants to talk about already." She mentioned off hand, Leila following her towards his office, raising an eyebrow curiously.

"Really?" She couldn't help but ask, pondering the subject herself for quite a while. "Well, do you mind sharing what it is then?" She had her own ideas, but it was just as good to hear what Perci had to say.

Perci nodded, though she seemed displeased talking about it for some reason. "I'm betting like ten grand that they won't let me in there because of my fuckin' semblance or some shit." She explained briefly, and Leila sighed, as Perci's tones got a bit gruff and annoyed, as she usually does when something upsets her. It was almost like a childish tantrum of sorts, only placated by more adult mannerisms.

Leila shook her head, looking at Perci a bit somberly. "Perci..." She came to say something more, but the words escaped her lips, gazing to the side in silence. It was true, in the end, that tournaments and sparring sessions were all based on aura level, and with Perci's ability to take away aura directly, all she needed was a single chance and she could easily win any fight in the tournament. Even fourth years could very well fall under the power she held, all things considered. "Look... We don't know what he wants to talk about for certain, yes? I am sure that it might be something else." She tried cheering Perci up, remaining optimistic to a degree.

Perci, on the other hand, didn't buy her bullshit, shaking her head. "Well, you can keep believing that, but I for one live in this thing called reality. And I know that it's hard for you to get it Nun, but reality is shit." She muttered, looking to the side. "Most likely Glynda is gonna be more than pleased telling me I can't compete. Bitch hates me anyhow."

Trying to dissuade her pessimism, Leila grabbed her by the shoulder. Stopping her in place momentarily. "Well, if this is the tone you'll have when talking to them, then most likely yes, this is what will happen. But, if you try for once to be a bit more positive about things, you'll see that it might not be as bad as you make it out to be." By now, the two of them got close enough to the tower, Leila pressing the button to call the elevator to take them up. "Just trust me on this one, alright?"

LINEBREAK

"Your team can't compete in the tournament."

Glynda's voice echoed through Ozpin's office, with Perci and Leila standing across them. Perci crossed her arms while rolling her eyes, a visible frown appearing on her eyebrows, looking at Glynda with discontent and a hint of hate. Leila, on the other hand, didn't give up so easily, addressing the headmistress sitting next to Ozpin and asking for the details. "And why, if you do not mind me asking, is that?" She didn't drag Perci all the way to his office to be rejected so bluntly, and while she would never argue with the law, she _would_ argue against an unjust or unexplained ruling.

Glynda kept her calm, watching the two of them with a rather cold gaze. "Very simple. Ms. Valiére's semblance is outright cheating is such a scenario, as she could easily dominate the tournament and take out everyone in her path with relative ease. As such, I do not approve of her being a participant."

Hearing this, Perci groaned audibly, staring at the two of them disappointed. "Oh come on! It's not like I can just touch someone and then 'boom! I win.'" She tried to defend herself. "Besides, I need to get into close range, too. Do you _really_ think everyone will just run at me and not try and snipe me from afar?"

Glynda didn't buy her explanation, shaking her head. "Regardless, with your ability to drain aura, you also possess a far larger threshold to being defeated than anyone else in the tournament. Even with people with higher aura capacity around, you still trump them with ease with sheer numbers." Glynda kept her stance still, refusing to give them any sort of leeway. It was true, however, that to some degree she felt a bit spiteful towards the delinquent. While it was quite unprofessional of her to be biased, Perci cussing at her on and on during her lessons, showing her little to no respect, and overall making jokes on her expense did have an effect on Glynda's decision making, even if she refused to admit it.

Ozpin, who so far sat still, with nothing in particular to say, finally cleared his throat. Giving a slight cough as well, he easily caught Glynda's attention, as well as the two students, taking a deep sigh before coming to give his own input on the matter. "With that said, however, it would be quite improper of me to ban a team that is trying to find a solution." He explained. "So, with this in mind, if you have any opinion as to what we should do with your team in regards to the Vytal Festival Tournament, I am all ears." He already had a few ideas of his own, but it was more important to hear Perci and Leila say something first.

The two of them glanced at one another for a minute or so, each saying nothing and thinking internally. Pondering the various solutions that could be implemented, it slowly dawned on them that there was really only one solution to this that would be the most acceptable. Perci tried to argue about it wordlessly, but with Leila telling her she had no choice with her face alone, she begrudgingly agreed, slumping over her chair and looking back at the principle and the academy's headmistress. "...Fine." She muttered, not seeming happy about this in the least.

"Fine, what?" Glynda questioned her, having little to no patience for Perci's snark. To some degree, she expected the girl to throw another temper tantrum, and threaten to beat both of them or something if she didn't get what she wanted.

However, what she thought notwithstanding, Perci continued, seeing as it wasn't obvious to them. "Fine... I won't drain aura within the tournament." It was a tough choice, to give her most powerful advantage in combat away. "BUT," she continued before any of them could interrupt her, having one last thing to say on the matter. "I still want to be allowed to drain _before_ the battle. I don't care what happens after the bell rings as long as I can at least come prepared. For me stocking on aura is the same as stocking on bullets." She ended her rebuttal, eyeing both of the adults in the room, a slight smirk making its way onto her lips.

Glynda and Ozpin stared at one another briefly. They stared at each other for what felt like an eternity, unease clear on their faces. After a few minutes of solid silence, Ozpin finally turned back to the duo, nodding in spite of Glynda's surprise. "...Very well. As long as you do not drain anyone within the arena, it is fine." He chose his words extra carefully, even compared to his usual self. The last thing he needed was Perci clinging onto technicalities and offering what she called her 'handshake of doom' to her opponents before the match actually begun, thus draining them beforehand.

"B-But Ozpin!" Glynda tried to argue back against it, still not buying her act. "If she comes into the arena with as much aura as she wants-"

"Then she'll just have extra armor around her. Nothing more, nothing less." Ozpin argued back. He saw combat data from Perci before, and if he was to judge her by what he saw, her use of aura was liberal, to say the least. True, she held massive reserves, but at the end of the day, her control over it was rather lacking, needing a lot more aura to heal wounds that for others would require minimal amounts. "With everything in mind, I do not believe she holds such a risk against the other competitors, as long as within the arena's boundaries, she doesn't drain aura from anyone." He then grinned lightly, giving Perci a rather sly look. " _including_ teammates."

Perci snarled at him lightly, clicking her tongue against her teeth as she realized he got his bases covered from all directions. However, at the back of her mind, she still had one advantage over him. One thing she could do Ozpin didn't know about _yet._

And that was giving aura away.

"...Fine, whatever." She nodded once, keeping up the act of being defeated. Great minds like his always fell for one of the oldest tricks in the book, and just as she expected, Ozpin called down the meeting, and Glynda walked over, having the two of them the form again. "We'll need you to fill the form again and specify the limitation we discussed here," Glynda explained briefly, walking away to tend to some other business, her heels clicking quite audibly as she stepped into the elevator, going down.

Once she was fully gone, Ozpin glanced at the two students, addressing Perci in particular. "You know, there is really no need to antagonize the staff so." He uttered, still slightly disappointed in her childlike tendencies. While it was true that Perci's grades have been improving lately, and at least within the student body she seemed to stabilize, when it came to most of the teachers, with the notable exception of Port, Perci still showed little to no respect to any of them, her snark reigning supreme.

Perci gave him a bit of a condescending look, shrugging. "...Meh." she didn't particularly care either way, as seeing Glynda's stern expression grow even more pissed each time was pure gold for Perci. Her reactions always managed to surprise her anew, and she always passed a chuckle internally watching Glynda flip her shit over being caught contradicting herself over the most minute of details. "I'll stop when I feel like it." Then again, Perci was just as hypocritical, on one hand readily annoying others, and then being angry that they treat her badly.

Ozpin wasn't really happy about her behavior, but for the most part, she showed improvement. "Well, regardless, I hope you all train hard for the tournament at hand. Remember, you only have a few days of preparation, so I hope to see you at your peak for the first match." He gave them his blessing, looking down at the papers piling his desk again. "Anyway, this will be all for now. I hope you have a pleasant day." He dismissed them at last.

Leila was the first to get up, bowing to Ozpin happily. "Thank you, sir!" She exclaimed, putting some happy tones into her voice. "We will do our best!" After that, she went towards the elevator, pressing the button and patiently waiting for it to arrive. Perci, on the other hand, simply got up slowly, her gaze remaining rather gruff, walking after Leila with her hands in her pockets, standing by her side until the two of them were finally alone in the elevator, watching the ground level approach them steadily.

Once they were finally out of Ozpin's reach, Perci grinned lightly to herself, cackling at her victory. "Heh heh heh..." She couldn't help it, having managed to pull a fast one under Ozpin's careful eyes.

Leila stared at her teammate with slight concern, not knowing what passed through the delinquent's mind. Whatever it was, it was most likely something Leila wouldn't abide by, and so, she tapped on Perci's shoulder, looking at her with a bit of a zealous expression. "And what is it now, Perci? I hope you don't plan on cheating and breaking the rules Ozpin had just put in place for you."

Perci turned to her with an _almost_ innocent face, which Leila might have actually bought if it wasn't Perci giving it. "Who, ME? Please Leila, I would never break the rules that Ozpin set in place for me..." Her tone was far too polite for her usual self, and the dragging of her words at the end of her sentence only drew more and more suspicion out of the nun. "Yes, I'll follow the rules. All to a tee..." At this point, her cackles began to sound like a Saturday morning cartoon villain's, if weaker in volume.

Leila tried to decipher the need for such laughs, thinking back on everything Ozpin had told them about the tournament. It didn't take her long, even with her not really bright intelligence, to realize the flaw in his ruling, eyes widening in surprise. "...He doesn't know about the aura sharing ability."

Perci chuckled again, leaning on the wall. "Bingo." She confirmed to the nun, who instinctively came to stop the elevator and bring it back up to Ozpin's office. Before she could press the button, however, Perci grabbed her hand, looking rather annoyed. "Whoa, Nun, what's your deal?! Come on, don't you want _some_ sort of advantage here?"

Leila shook her head. "Not like this. You deceived Ozpin, and I will fix this situation by telling him the full story. Now let my hand go." She commanded, stuck in her own morals and righteous will to see the clear advantage in this.

Perci shook her head, growing more and more serious. "I ain't lettin' you do that. Enough that I had to declaw myself just to enter this fucking tournament, I'm not lettin' you take away the one thing I can still do with my semblance! Besides, it's good for you too, you know. You burn through your aura like it was made of oil!" She leaned in closer, giving Leila a stern glare. "You _need_ me, Leila. Admit it or not."

Leila looked to the side, avoiding Perci's piercing eyes. Gazing at the outside of the elevator, she let her hand down, agreeing for a change to let it slide. "Alright... But only because this power is used for the benefit of others. I will pray for forgiveness from the Lord, and we can put this behind us." It was a coping mechanism of sorts, to pray for the Lord in order to excuse doing things that didn't particularly stand hand in hand with her ideals. Sure, there were actions she would never take, no matter the situation, but on smaller matters such as these, she found it acceptable lately to let them slide.

"Trust me Nun; you ain't gonna regret it!" Perci leaned back, closing her eyes and cackling to herself over her small, but nonetheless present victory over the know-it-all headmaster.

Now, with everything set, team JPLL could finally compete in the Vytal tournament...


	31. Last Minute Preperations

The moment their registration passed successfully, team JPLL spent as much time as they could on the battlefield, training and working on their teamwork in order to improve as much as they can. The tournament was approaching steadily, and they didn't have a lot to make progress in, after all. A few days into their training, teams JPLL and ACMM stood one against another in Beacon's arena, facing one another for a spar. There weren't many people around, as it was after school, not that any classes went on a few days before the tournament, everyone far too busy practicing for it, so at the end of the day, they were alone.

As for team ACMM, they didn't join the tournament. While Undine did mention this to the group and suggested they go for it, Melody and Copper both argued that they still had ways to go before they could compete in such a tourney, leaving them with a lot of time on their hands, since most lessons got canceled the sooner the tournament approached.

For the most part, they agreed that first, they should have one on one matches with one another to test their individual skills in combat. After all, only the first round included all of them as a team, and they decided it was far more efficient time wise to focus on each of them individually.

Ash stared at the group, grinning. She drew the shortest straw from team ACMM, meaning she got to go first and choose her partner for the spar. Eyeing team JPLL with a smirk on her face, she pondered her options lightly, before raising her hand and pointing at the dust giantess standing across her. "Alright, Jinny, let's do this." She stepped forward, drawing Blind Justice from its holster, readying herself.

Jin, on the opposite end of the arena, walked cheerfully towards Ash, getting into position. So far, when it came to fighting other auras, her ability to see them coming was quite uncanny, and hitting Jin proved far harder than people initially thought. She got into position, her arms falling a bit and the claws on her hands showing, smiling cheerfully at Ash while the two of them stood against one another silently.

Perci, who acted as the judge for the sparring matches, walked between the two. She paused for a bit, raising her hand upwards while letting the silence drag on, building some tension for everyone in the arena, before dropping her hand sharply. "Begin!" Her voice rang out, loud and clear, and she jumped back, giving the two of them ample space to fight in, while the rest of the teams got up to the stands, watching them with anticipation.

The first to act was Ash, raising her gun and firing a single shot, right to Jin's face. Jin's instincts kicked in, and she rolled to the side, still smiling, before making a B-line towards Ash directly. Her claws already sparked with lightly, getting close to her rather quickly, raising her hand to deliver a primal blow straight to Ash's head.

The detective, however, was already leagues ahead of her. Her semblance proved itself quite useful in situations like these. She quickly rolled to the side, out of Jin's reach, getting behind her and drawing Quick Justice, as the baton quickly got charged with lightning itself. She brought it down on her head, and while Jin managed to get away in time, jumping back, Ash quickly drew her gun and shot her back, hitting Jin directly. The powerful blast from the pistol sent her flying, though Jin managed to recover mid-air, landing on her feet.

She spun in place, still having quite the stamina and aura to go. She took a deep breath, as Ash's Guts already warned her about what was to come, and as Jin unleashed her fiery breath, dashed away, in an attempt to get away from the fires. Regardless, they managed to reach her to a degree, burning her lightly, though it was far better than just standing there and taking it head on.

From there, Ash pulled out Quick Justice, firing a couple of shots at the dust infused faunus. "Let's see you dodge THIS!" She called out with adrenaline rushing through her, keeping her rather calculative mind in check. The first few shots were quick obviously a diversion, only to make Jin run in a specific direction. Seeing Jin run to the right, she quickly readjusted her aim, going slightly before Jin's movements, and predicting her movement, took another shot. The bullet flew sharply, making the air around it break as it hit its target once more, a small explosion covering most of Jin's hair.

Jin stopped, turning towards Ash again. While her instinct told her to run, she tried to go against it, running directly at Ash with a primal bellow rising from deep within her stomach.

"So you wanna go like that, eh?..." Ash grinned, pulling her baton out and preparing herself for the close-quarter's clash, imminent at this point. "Then bring it!" At the end of the day, this training session was for Jin after all, and just aiming at her from afar wasn't going to do much for her combat experience.

Jin brought down her claw against Ash's face again, flailing her arm almost brutally strong. Ash reacted just in time, raising her baton to protect herself, but even that wasn't enough to block out the Brute's sheer strength. It felt Ash flying, spinning midair as she hit one of the walls, dropping to her feet a second after. She sighed, getting up, giving Jin a smirk.

"Man... You sure to pack a mean punch, don't you?" She cracked her neck, spinning her baton in hand. "Well, guess I should have kept my distance, eh?" She ran back into the arena, coming directly at Jin again. The giant brought her claw forwards, but Ash jumped above her, pulling out her pistol and aiming for her head again. Jin, however, saw her aura move, and reached out, grabbed her palm, slamming her back into the ground.

There was a loud thud as Ash hit the floor, coughing up lightly before getting up. She was still staggered for a bit, but it didn't bother her much, preparing both her weapons again. "Alright, let's have it then!"

However, despite her enthusiasm, Jin only stepped back.

"N-No more fighting." She explained, in her own crude way. "You're hurt. I don't want to fight anymore." Turning her head to the side and crossing her arms, Jin made her stance clear on the matter. True, she saw the good in it, but even then, fighting was still not something she enjoyed.

"Aww, come on." Ash, trying to coax her into resuming their spar, stepped closer, flexing a muscle playfully. "See? I'm fine. Sure, I lost some aura, but you don't have to worry about it, alright?"

"No!" Jin called, pouting and turning away from her fully, showing Ash her back. "I don't wanna!"

Ash tried to convince her some more to go back to it, but nothing she said worked. Jin was far too stubborn for her own good to be convinced, and so, the spar ended on a rather anticlimactic note, with Jin walking back to the stands, and Ash following suit shortly after. From there, the rest of team ACMM picked out who would go up next for the spar, playing one out of three to see who would go at it.

"One, two... Three!" Copper, Melody, and Undine each raised her hand, either upside down or straight up, to see who would be the odd one out. Unfortunately for Melody, however, she came up the odd one, and thus, was forced to choose a partner to spar with. She eyed the remains of team JPLL, considering who she wanted to go up against, though for the most part everyone else already knew who she would pick. Finally raising her finger, she pointed at her girlfriend, to no one's surprise. "I pick... Perci!" She called out, trying to sound brave.

Perci huffed wordlessly, grinning as she got up from her seat. "Alright then, Love. You got it." Cocking her head to the side, she turned her head in Ash's direction, seeing as her spar was already over. "Mind refereein' for us Detective?"

Ash nodded, standing up again, and going down to the arena. Perci and Melody followed her soon after, Melody looking a tad nervous, and before long, the two of them stood facing one another. Perci raised the Anarchy Melodica, putting it over her shoulder, while Melody sheepishly held Swan Song in her hands, pointing it in Perci's direction. Ash made sure the two of them were ready and swung her hand. "Go!"

Melody tried to take the initiative, running towards Perci. But alas, with not much experience in close quarters combat, relying on her long range projectiles far more than she should have, her stance was all wonky and weak, and before she could swing her weapon in Perci's direction, Perci blocked her blade, gently guiding it away. "You're doin' it wrong," Perci noted, looking over her form. "Want me to show you how it's done?"

Melody gazed at her rather embarrassed, but regardless, nodded once. "A-Alright..." From there, Perci walked around her, bending her over a bit, using her cane to direct Melody's body around. While she didn't know that much about fighting with a sword, she did see others do it enough to get the basics, and for the next five minutes, all she did was to explain to Melody how to use her weapon properly.

"See what you wanna do here is stay low." She continued her brief explanation, Melody trying to keep still. "Legs bent, arms strong, so on and so on." Here and there, Perci sent a slightly heated glance in her direction, partway teasing her lover and partway actually seducing her, though Melody just got rather flustered and confused, blushing heavily. After trying to keep up Perci's instructions for a bit, she keeled over, not having that much stamina in the first place, falling and dropping her sword.

"C-Crap..." Melody muttered, trying to get up and keep going. This was a spar, after all, and she at least wanted to try. "W-Well... Here I go, Perci!" She called out, giving another swing, this time putting more emphasis on the momentum she got from her movements, letting her whole body swing with her.

Perci blocked the strike, going to the side, judging her lightly. "Hmm... Better, but you still have a lot of work to do. Like this!" Perci focused some of her aura on Melody, bringing down a strike against her side. However, what she lacked in strength she made up for in mobility, and Melody jumped out of the way, doing a summersault above Perci and landing on her other end, trying to deliver another strike to her side. The sword hit, though Perci clearly didn't care. Trying to carve through the massive amounts of aura she wielded was like trying to but a slab of steel with a kitchen knife, and almost nothing got through. Perci chuckled again, spinning in place and grabbing Melody, pulling her close and giving her a wink. "Well now, you managed to hit me. I wonder what I should do now..." She dragged her words a bit, clearly having way too much fun from this, making the rest of her friends cringe a bit at the sight of Perci being this cheesy and romantic.

"W-Well... You know..." Melody looked to the side, blushing still. It was clear from her face, however, that being held like that by her beloved was not something she disliked. "I-If you want..." Her voice came out as a whisper, but it was all that Perci needed.

"Then I give this victory to you, Love." She cheerfully decreed, lifting Melody into a bridal hold and carrying her back to the stands. Melody herself was quite surprised by the sudden movements, still holding her weapon tightly, sheathing it right away as she wrapped her arms around Perci's neck, to make sure she couldn't fall over. After putting Melody back on one of the seats, Perci walked back to take her cane, which she managed to drop when she swiped her lover away, walking slowly and spinning it in place, only to meet everyone's slightly disappointed gaze at her when she sat back. "...What? Oh, like any of you guys would do any different in my place." She rolled her eyes, Leaning on the seat. "Anyway, who's next, eh? Better be a good fight too."

Before they could resume their fights, however, the door to the arena opened up. A simple delivery man, carrying about two or three crates, each seemed to be a few feet long, entered the arena, addressing the students who were there, holding a note in his hand. "Is there a Leila Heavenward here? I have a package for her."

Leila stood up, raising an eyebrow. She didn't order anything from any store, not that she knew how to regardless, stepped down towards the man, eyeing him suspiciously. "And who is the package from, if you don't mind me asking?" Before she signed on anything, she was taught to always make sure it wasn't someone playing a trick on her. As far as she knew, Perci ordered something in her name to play a practical joke on her or something of the sort.

The man, clearly in his early twenties, picked up the piece of paper he held in his hand, trying to read the name inscribed on it. "Hyac... Hiasi... I don't know how to say this one, just take a look, will you?" He showed her the note, and the moment Leila read the name, her eyes widened in surprise.

"Hyacynthia..."

She quickly signed the packages, taking the crates he carried off his trolley, and sending him off. Opening one of them, removing the wooden top of the crate, the insignia of her church laid bare over a velvet box inside it. Leila's smile grew wider, and as the rest of them, Jin included, went down to inspect what she got, she pulled out of one of the boxes a long, rather slim rod of what seemed like silver colored dust.

"Oooh..." Jin gasped in awe, hey eyes glued to the rod, which was easily about two-thirds of Leila's height in total. It was rare of Jin to show interest in something that wasn't auras or people directly, so seeing her look at the object so intensely only piqued the others' curiosity.

Perci was the first to speak after her, coughing lightly. "You got a... Rod?" She couldn't help but ask, half regretting that decision by the large breath Leila took to explain what it was.

"Oh, this isn't just a rod..." She smiled, taking her blade and extending it to full length. "These are rods made of silver dust and prepared by my mother herself!" She actually raised her voice to a slight cheer, before catching herself overly emoting and taking a deep breath, calming herself down. "Anyway... My mother sent me these in preparation for the tournament." She pulled a note from inside the box containing the rod, showing it to her friends.

_'My dearest daughter,'_

_'I have sent you these rods of Silver dust for use in the Vytal Festival tournament.'_

_'Please, handle them with care, and remember, they are not to be taken lightly. Use them only in emergencies.'_

_'Good luck in your battles,'_

_'Hyacynthia Halcyon Heavenward.'_

The others looked at each other, and then at the note again. The writing was handmade, though from the looks of it, it could have easily been mistaken for a work of art, as each letter was hand drawn and emphasized with plenty of unneeded, but fancy looking additions. Regardless, the contents of the letter left very little to the imagination, and Perci shook her head lightly. "So... What? Is that mother of yours like a celebrity or somethin'?"

Leila nodded, lifting her blade and spinning the barrel, while pressing a button on the hilt. This time, in addition to the spinning itself, each half of the blade split to one side, revealing that the blade was, in fact, hollow on the inside, but more importantly, had a hatch for the rod in the middle. "In a way, I suppose. My mother is the current guardian of our village, and a true angel." She mused, sliding the silver dust rod down the hatch, and spinning the blade again in the opposite direction, closing it up. "She is a great warrior, and a revered member of our church, as well as a personal idol of mine." Every word Leila spoke was filled with admiration to her parent.

"But is she powerful?" Undine chimed in, seemingly doubting the strength her mother wielded. "Cause I betcha I can kick her ass if I got the chance." The tiny fish faunus seemed far too eager for her own good, feisty and gutsy as ever.

Leila, on the other hand, simply nodded. "So far, none have managed to challenge her and come out victorious. We have had several sparring sessions in the past, and each time she has defeated me or held back by a very large margin." She spoke coldly to a degree, certain of her mother's strength and skill.

Undine, on the other hand, was having none of it, taking out her trident. "Well, all this power talk has me itchin' for a fight. What do you say, Leila, wanna try and defend your mother's word? I mean, you gotta be strong if you say she trained you, right?" She winked, clearly trying to goad Leila into fighting her. Copper, as usual, didn't show any real objection to Undine taking her spot for the upcoming match, instead stepping back and looking at them from afar.

Leila closed her eyes, letting a small smile come to her lips. While her mother did mention using it only for emergencies, one use wouldn't hurt, if it was for training purposes. "Very well, Undine. I shall accept your challenge. Perci, do you mind?" Turning to her partner, now judge once more, she walked to the other end of the arena, raising her blade and preparing herself.

"Fine, whatever..." Perci shrugged, taking her position as judge. Undine raised her weapon, grinning, looking as cocky as ever, just eager to see what the nun was capable of with this new power of hers. "Just fucking start or whatever I don't care..." Perci threw her arm about. A rather crude way to start the match, but it did its work.

Leila started the fight headstrong, running towards Undine with her blade already drawn. Undine just stood there, not trying to get away, and as Leila got close and swung her blade fiercely, Undine's smirk grew a few levels, as she triggered her semblance, quickly sinking into the ground.

Taking her weapon with her.

She worked hard, tuning her semblance out and practicing it. If the fight with the Eldritchans taught her one thing, is that she had to work harder on mastering her semblance, and tournament or not, this was what she was going to do. Leila stared at the patch of ground that used to be Undine, before the redhead rose up from behind her, sending Oceanline forward with a single, powerful thrust, sending Leila flying.

Leila hit the ground, using the momentum of launch herself up again, landing on her feet. "I see... Then have at you!" Resorting to her more iconic style of fighting, she spun the barrel and hit her gravity dust, sticking the blade into the ground and creating a large, weight increasing gravity field, keeping Undine pinned to the ground. Raising her blade, Leila spun her barrel to wind afterward, sending a whirlwind right towards Undine's direction, with the gravitational field strong enough to keep her at bay.

"...Shit!" Undine called out, attempting to avoid it using her semblance, planting her feet firmly into the ground to make sure the wind couldn't move her. It worked, to a degree, and she managed to avoid being blown away, though when she came to raise herself up to the floor and run off, she realized something.

The gravity field kept her from going up.

She struggled, fighting the increased pull of the earth on her, while Leila picked up her pace, running at Undine again, the thrill of battle evident on her face. Undine, without any other choice but to defend herself, shifted her weapon to its harpoon gun form, blasting Leila with a powerful, ice elemental shot, aiming for her abdomen. Leila raised her blade to defend herself, and as the shot hit the bronze directly, it exploded into a heavy, rather massive ice flower, slowing the nun down just long enough to let the gravity field pass, as Undine plucked herself out of the ground, dashes away to catch some distance. Spinning a dial on her gun, she aimed it at Leila again, this time firing a lightning bolt instead, powered by one of the three large cells filled with dust to the side of the gun form.

Bashing the ice against the ground to break it, Leila barely had enough time to react to the lightning bolt, hitting her dead on and making her yield for a second, falling to her knees. She panted heavily, raising her head and staring at Undine with determination to win, deciding it was time. "Alright... Time to use it." She muttered to herself, spinning the barrel again and opening the blade in half, showing the internal structure of the bronze plates. Still pressing the trigger on her blade, she poured her aura into the silver dust, as it sparked to life, light erupting from the center of the blade and filling it up.

From the stands, Jin's eyes sparkled with awe, watching the spectacle happening from afar. The light stretched out, forming a longer blade from inside the space in between the bronze, effectively doubling Caliborn's length. Leila charged again, spinning in place while jumping in Undine's direction, a blade of light guided by her hands falling on top of Undine's head, as the nun screamed out a fierce battle cry.

Undine looking up in shock, morphing Oceanline back to Trident form and coming to dodge her attack, rolling to the side. Despite successfully avoiding the actual blade, the shockwaves that came after it, as pillars of light erupted from the ground around Leila caught her off guard, a few of them hitting Undine dead on. Suffice to say, they felt burning and searing, and she flew off, weak enough and low on aura, keeling over. "A-Alright..." She managed to utter, slowly getting back up. "Y-You win..." It was a bit hard to admit defeat, especially after acting so cocky, but it was a lesson to learn nonetheless.

Leila smiled triumphantly, closing her blade back to its normal form, collapsing it and placing it on her back. She then walked over to Undine, extending a hand and offering her help to fully get up. "Are you alright? If you're hurt anywhere, I'll heal you." Despite acting as righteous as ever, she was low on aura herself. Using those dust based skills still took a rather hefty toll on her aura pool, despite having a rather large amount compared to the average huntsman. Of course, it didn't matter to Leila, as the nun prioritized others' wellbeing above herself, waiting to see Undine was fine entirely before letting herself return to the stands.

"I'm fine, I'm fine, don't worry..." Undine uttered, slowly walking back. The last thing she wanted was Leila's pity, even if it came from a well-intentioned place. She gruffed a bit but nevertheless admitted defeat.

The others, meanwhile, all nodded impressed. "...Well, then." Ash managed to speak up after the two of them finally made their way to the rest of the group. "Remind me not to get on _your_ bad side again..." She gave a light chuckle, snickering to herself, Leila rolling her eyes. "Anyway..." The detective continued, looking over at Copper and Hue. "You two ready for the spar?"

However, surprisingly enough, Copper shook her head. "I would rather not spar at the moment. I am feeling under the weather, and would like to rest some more." She sat back down, laying a bit and trying to close her eyes.

Hue, just as disinterested as Copper in the whole charade, didn't even bother lifting her eyes from her book. "Agreed. I do not think any more practice is gonna be needed for me, all things considered. I have a rather comprehensive mastery of my semblance, my weapons have been sharpened and prepared, and we have practiced before. I am ready." She spoke in one breath, resuming her reading and occasional writing.

Perci and Ash looked at one another, shrugging shortly after. "...Whatever." They spoke at the same time, neither seeing any point in trying to convince them any further that they should fight. If Copper was sick, might as well let her be and take her to the nurse.

Leila, however, approached Perci, looking rather nervous. "So, Perci..." She started, her voice trailing a bit. Even if she herself held not a small amount of power to her, she still felt unsure to some degree. "Are you sure we can pass the first round?"

Perci took one last glance at the rest of her friends, smiling gently. At this point, worrying about it didn't do anything good, as the first round would begin the day after anyway.

"Don't worry about it, Leila." She spoke calmly. "I think we'll do juuuuust fine..."


End file.
